Finding Me, Finding You
by angelhazel
Summary: Sakuno -centric fic, see her Change into more than the shy little girl she is. ryosaku . Minna, arigatou! sequel's done! do check it out as well, thx!
1. Default Chapter

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

Summary: Sakuno-centric fic, see her Change into more than the shy little girl she is. Ryosaku … eventually ……

A/N: I luuuuv Ryosaku, but Sakuno's weak character often leaves me gritting my teeth with impatience …. Why can't she be stronger, etc. Sigh, juz trying to justify the poor girl, and to give her a happy ending **smilez **

A/N 2 : (after actually starting to type) er… suddenly I dunno where this is going … but I m still going to try very hard to bring it back to the scene I first thought of ….. be patient with me ne!

Eto, whole sentences in italics are thoughts/dreams 

_Sorede, atashi nihongo no tsukau koto ga daisuki dakara_, you might see a lot of it in the following text …

**

* * *

****Chapter One**

_She was in a dark and narrow place. She felt the need to leave this place as soon as possible; the feeling was as real as the fear eating away at her heart._

She reached out, seeking the relative security of feeling solid wall under her touch. It was cold and rough, hardly comforting qualities, but at least it afforded her a better sense of direction and of being.

_It was so dark, she couldn't even see her own hands, much less where she was going._

_Her heart was pounding away, the pressure in her chest was building, building, building …._

"_Ikanai, I must find a way to get out of here! I must keep calm, I must think!" _

_But it was so difficult to. Her mind was a blank, mere darkness just like what was before her eyes. It took all she had to support herself in an upright position, for it was so much easier to curl up and close her mind from the unrelenting darkness. She was at that moment infinitely grateful for having the wall to lean against._

_She didn't know what was beyond the darkness, and she was only assuming that there was anything out there besides her._

_Cold, it was so cold. She shivered. It felt like there was an icy finger trailing her spine, and as the sharp cold rose into her skull, she felt, rather than saw, a burst of light, which nevertheless left her blinking her eyes rapidly. _

_It may have been a trick of light, but she could still see quite clearly the remnant outline of a door ahead of her, illuminated for a mere instant by the unknown light source._

_Hope flared, turning into warmth that was slowly seeping into her body. She commanded her knees to stop knocking together and slowly leaned away from the wall. Keeping her right hand trailing along the rough surface, she placed first one foot then the other in the direction of that door._

"_A little more, just a little more." She could no longer see the door, and could only hope that she was headed in the right direction. _

_YES! She drew up when her foot hit something in its path. Reaching out with her free hand, her fingers encountered a smooth surface, cool and unyielding under her touch._

"_I hope this is the door," she searched along that smooth surface, and felt a narrow gap before encountering the rough surface that she could identify as the wall. The gap was very narrow, she tried to pry at it with her fingertips but wasn't successful. _

"_Handle. Where's the door handle?" She was assailed by a sense of urgency._

_Slowly trailing her fingers back across the smooth surface at about chest level, she came upon bar-shaped cold steel a little way to her left. Grasping the unyielding material tightly in her left hand, she tried to push it down. She felt the bar giving way, but got stuck after a little way. She reluctantly relinquished the security of the wall on her right and, grasping the handle in both hands, lent her body weight into the effort._

_The bar turned with a sharp creaking which traveled up her arms and shook her body. Finally there was the door swinging outwards smoothly and rather quickly, revealing a blinding light. Her eyes closed against the offending brightness, she was pulled forward by momentum, and suddenly found the floor gone from under her feet._

_She tried to scream, but couldn't do so in time ….._

* * *

A/N: Ooookay … here's the deal: I have started on this with a _very_ vague idea of a sweet ending (Ryosaku, of course) … and the scene is written down elsewhere in case I forget it … so then I started writing all the stuff that's supposed to come _Before_ the sweet scene, and suddenly the entire story just got away from me …. Now I m stuck in the middle of nowhere and need someone to kick my butt to continue …. So I m just gonna put whatever I already have up on ffnet, minna, pls come and Kick My Ass ….

And … actually after spending , like, 2 weeks on the dreams scenes (there are at least 2 more) I decided they are just making the story toooo long …. Then agn, 2 weeks of typing and thinking and typing again… I feel terrible to throw it out just like that –**sad- **It's still me baby …..


	2. Chapter 2

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**

Seigaku on a weekday afternoon.

The tennis team was holding their famous intra-ranking again. All the members and regulars were gathered and the promise of exciting matches drew about half the entire school population to the courts too. Most of the spectators were female students who were screaming their heads off for one or the other of the Regulars. Weeeell, so maybe the main attraction was not the exciting matches.

The Golden Pair was playing against each other on court A. Next to them, Kawamura was trashing a unknown 2nd year member.

"I love to play with Ooishi best, Nyaa! I will defeat you with my acrobatics this time, Ooishi!"

"Eiji, you can always try, but don't forget that I have my Moon Volley! Let us both do our best!"

"C'MON BABY!! BURNING!! STAND UP AND FIGHT, YOU WUSS!! YEAH!!"

Spectators at Courts C and D were seeing action from Kaidoh against a 2nd year member, who was really scared into immobility by the ever-hissing mamushi, and from Echizen Ryoma against Fuji Syuusuke. The latter came into being at the special request of Ryoma, and since the team's tensai had no objections, team manager Inui was more than happy to arrange for it. It was, after all, the last ranking games before the final exams, and before third years graduate. It was undeniably an excellent chance to obtain even more data on the two tennis prodigies. Bright light reflected off Inui's glasses where he stood by the fence, carefully observing the match between his teammates.

"FIGH-TO!! FIGH-TO!! RYOMA SAMAAA!!!" Tomoka was putting on her best performance ever, complete with short skirt, skimpy top, and neon pink pom-poms. It was too easy to overpower other Ryoma's Fan Club President-Wannabes.

Sakuno, clad in a similar outfit at Tomoka's insistence, was cringing beside the enthusiastic cheerleader, and her hands alternately tugging at the short hem of her skirt, and clasping prayer-fashion at her chest as she worried, quietly, for her prince.

"Ne, Echizen, your fangirls are very _genki_ today," the third year tensai commented, smiling as always.

He had already clinched 3 games to Ryoma's 2, using his famous Tsubame Gaeshi and Higuma Otoshi counter moves. He was rather free with his special moves today, perhaps in honor of it being possibly the first and last official match between himself and the tennis prince. Ryoma was keeping an eye out for the Hakugei, which should appear anytime now that they have changed courts, and the wind was in Fuji's favor.

"Souka? It's your turn to serve, Fuji-senpai," Ryoma was focused on the intense match, and couldn't care less about the noise coming from the other side of the fence.

He suspected that Fuji-senpai was merely baiting him. He had seen 2 of the triple-counter moves more times today than over the last 6 months, and he was lured into anticipating the Hakugei. But given previous examples of Fuji's sadistic mind games, Ryoma was getting a nagging suspicion that he would not actually get to see it.

Despite the small revelation, Ryoma could not help but be distracted by his preoccupation with the tensai's special move. He was observing Fuji very closely; every movement was swiftly evaluated in case he missed any small but important part of the Hakugei counter. The pressure was building; he could feel himself come alive as the match progressed, his blood singing to each swing of the racket, and his heart picking up the rhythm from the landings of the ball.

He played smoothly, losing sense of time and place, concentrating on his opponent and the ball. His world shrunk, or widen, to the conceptually extensive space of the tennis court.

"3 games all"

"5 games to 4"

It took them 2 hours, but the game finally drew to the match point, and Fuji had the advantage. The crowds were holding their collective breaths; even Tomoka was quiet, clutching Sakuno in apprehension. Sakuno was worrying about Ryoma's reaction to losing a match against Fuji-senpai. Both Ryoma and Fuji-senpai had worked so hard; their white and blue shirts were soaked in sweat. Fuji-senpai had very good technique, but his limited stamina was stretched to the last during this extended match. And Ryoma was hardly any better. Yet both seemed determined to see this match to its end.

The other regulars and members had long since finished their games, and were all gathered to watch how this one turned out. The regular list was out, it seemed that Inui would remain as team manager until he graduated. All eyes were on the pair of tennis prodigies, battling it out on the courts.

"Echizen, you tried very hard. But zannen desu, it is still too early for you to defeat me," Fuji iterated, his eyes were mere slits of blue set into a pretty face. "And now, I know you have been waiting for this …" so saying, Fuji finally displayed the Hakugei counter, and thusly finished the match 7-6 in his favor.

Ryoma was tired. He did try to study and analyze the Hakugei, but his eyes were tired, his mind was tired, he could do no more than stand and watch the ball return smartly into Fuji's waiting hand. If he could watch this a few more times, he could definitely come up with a counter move to save this match point, but he knew it would be futile to try now, the Hakugei was still beyond his grasp.

He lost. Echizen Ryoma lost a tennis match against someone other than his ex-Pro father.

Ryoma was mildly surprised that he could feel nothing. No great disappointment at losing, no overwhelming grief. Perhaps that was because it was Fuji-senpai, whom he had gotten to know a little over the past year, and whom he acknowledged as a worthy opponent.

A little dazed, Ryoma shook his senpai's hand and took to the sidelines. There would be no problems with the ranking; he and Fuji were the last of their group, so both would remain regulars. All that had changed would be that Echizen Ryoma had officially lost to the smiling tensai Fuji Syuusuke.


	3. Chapter 3

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

* * *

Chapter 3

Sakuno watched as Ryoma exited the courts, heading towards the drinks dispenser. She was debating whether or not to follow him, even if she couldn't actually do anything, she could be there by his side. She was being held back by her shyness when Tomoka unceremoniously decided for her. Ditching her pom-poms, Tomoka grabbed Sakuno's arm and towed her in Ryoma's wake. Sakuno gasped but had no time to object. Her brown braids streamed behind her as she struggled to keep pace with her best friend.

"We must show Ryoma-sama that we are still his faithful followers!! If anyone hassles him about this match, I, the President of the Ryoma Fan Club, will personally send the infidel to the hottest depths of Hell!!," Tomoka was really getting all riled up by her imaginary opponents.

They were approaching Ryoma when they crossed paths with Horio et al. Horio was apparently crowing at the outcome of the match. Pretty soon, Tomoka was engaged in a shouting and fist-shaking match with Horio, while the others tried to separate them.

Sakuno was at a lost what to do and turned around to seek help from Ryoma, only to find him gone. She was immediately concerned and quietly left the still arguing pair to look for Ryoma.

"Yappari, this lost is affecting Ryoma-kun badly," she was worrying for her prince as she searched for him along the path, hoping to find Ryoma resting under one of the trees, sipping a Grape Ponta ™.

She soon spotted pretty much the exact scene as she imagined: Ryoma was propped up at the foot of a tree set far from the path, with a can of his favorite drink beside him.

Sakuno hurried to her prince, and when she got there, she found herself tongue-tied. She didn't know what to say to comfort him, and he wasn't saying anything either. In fact Ryoma didn't even look up when she approached. Sakuno was reluctant to leave Ryoma alone, so she simply sat down quietly beside him.

Sakuno was feeling rather confused and unsettled. She wanted to comfort Ryoma, but she didn't want to be the first to break the silence between them, nor did she want to mention the match right now since it was a sore point. She hesitantly stole a glance at Ryoma, hoping to gauge his mood. What she saw had her break into a smile.

Ryoma was asleep already, his cap pulled down low over his eyes to block out the evening sun.

Sakuno felt a heavy weight lift off her chest. Ryoma wasn't sulking after losing to Fuji-senpai. He was just resting after the long match. Sakuno settled down beside him to keep him company while he snoozed.

Leaning back against the tree in a comfortable position, Sakuno was soon nodding off as well.

* * *

_She was back in the never-ending darkness, enclosed by the numbing cold. This time she could distinctly feel air moving around her, the atmosphere was charged with an energy that was new to her._

_She needed to get out of here. She needed to get out of here. She needed out **now**_

_She tried but couldn't reach the wall on either side, nor could she see the direction of the exit. Scared and confused, she sank to floor and hugged her knees, curling into herself instinctively against the cold. She tried very hard to hold back her tears, yet her eyes grew moist, liquid pooled and fell against her will. _

_She scrubbed the back of her hands over her cheeks, making her hands wet with hot tears. Unsure of what she can do to be released from this icy darkness, she sat and wept tears of misery._

_She didn't notice at first, but gradually, as her tears run out and she could pay more attention to her surroundings, she felt the warm gentle breeze run over her tear-stained face. She thought the air circulating in random directions was cold, and found it strange that there was a warm breeze that kept blowing over her wet and cold face. _

"_Perhaps the source was the exit," she thought to herself, grateful to have something to work with._

_Crawling on all fours, she closed her eyes and moved into the breeze. Darkness stretched in all directions, and no direction at the same time. She had to make sure she continued in a straight line. Now that she was trying to detect it, she found that there was much movement in the air, and the particular breeze she was trying to follow could get lost now and then. She kept getting confused and had to make periodical stops to determine the right direction._

_She inched forward in this way, and suddenly her head knocked into a surface. The wall! Elated, she reached out with her hands, finding a definite gust of warm and moist air coming through a vertical slit in the wall. Slowly feeling her way up from the floor, she managed to find the door handle without further difficulty, and soon, she was once more weightless and bathed in blinding light. And with a scream caught in her throat, she was falling ….._


	4. Chapter 4

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

* * *

Chapter 4

Sakuno woke up to find herself sitting under a tree on Seigaku campus, with Ryoma awake and looking at her, and her Obaa-chan kneeling down before her, lightly messaging her wrists.

"Daijoubu kai, Sakuno," the older woman asked in concern when she saw that Sakuno's eyes were finally open.

" H-Hai, daijoubu desu, Obaa-chan. Sorry to make you worry," Sakuno took stock of her surroundings and found that it was already early evening, the sky was lit in a pale glow and the moon and the stars were coming out. No wonder she felt so cold that her teeth wouldn't stop chattering. "Aa, it is al-already so l-late, sorry, I m-must have been sl-sleeping for a lo-long time." She wrapped her arms around herself to hold in what little body warmth she had left, and found that she was covered in the blue and white Seigaku Tennis jersey. Hesitantly, she took a peek at Ryoma, who was standing quietly at her side.

"Yes, you have been. Ryoma saw you asleep and tried to wake you up. He came and got me when he couldn't get you to respond. And, like he said, your skin felt abnormally cold, and you were shivering in your sleep," Ryuuzaki Sumire was looking deeply into Sakuno's huge brown eyes, trying to see if Sakuno was aware of all this.

Immediately embarrassed, Sakuno quickly thanked Ryoma for his trouble, "Arigatou, Ryoma-kun. S-Sorry to make you worry as well." Clinging on to his jersey, Sakuno began to feel warmer from the inside.

"Betsuni, I didn't do very much," the tennis prodigy said offhandedly, his tone betrayed by his unwavering gaze upon Sakuno's almost completely white face. It was still as he saw it when he woke up to find Sakuno beside him; her entire body was cold, and her skin look thoroughly bloodless. It scared the living daylights out of him, horrid thoughts of Sakuno dying in her sleep, when she was right beside him. He was sure this would come back and haunt him for a long time, waking up to a cold dead body by his side.

"Can you stand up and walk? We should be getting back now," Ryuuzaki Sumire's foremost concern was getting her precious granddaughter home and warmed up, the _other_ issues could wait.

"H-Hai, Obaa-chan," Sakuno tried to command her legs to work, but they were responding rather slowly. Ryoma suddenly grasped her arm to pull her up, and kept on supporting her as she tried to find her balance.

"Arigatou, Ryoma-kun, I can do this on my own now," She gave him the sweetest smile in appreciation, her brown eyes was shining bright in the moonlight. "And thank you for your jersey, you can have it back." She offered the jersey with her other hand.

Ryoma released Sakuno rather quickly, as though she was suddenly on fire, and too hot to handle. A very strange feeling was traveling up his arm from the contact with Sakuno; it felt a little like an electrical shock. "Aa …. ," he managed to choke out in response, "You look like you need it more, just keep it for today."

"Arigatou, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno reiterated, as she slipped into the jersey.

Ryoma was struck by how cute she looked in his jersey. It was a size too large, and she looked completely swallowed by the material. The sight tugged at his heart strings, but he couldn't figure why.

The trio parted ways at the school gate, the Ryuuzakis were to hop a cab in consideration for Sakuno, and Ryoma refused a ride, preferring to walk home on his own.

He stood at the gate to see them off, reflecting upon the awkward moment and his strange feelings when he saw Sakuno wearing his jersey. Shaking his head at himself, he turned and started his walk home.

Sakuno fell asleep again in the cab, her grandmother kept a hold on her and was vastly relieved that she didn't freeze up again. There were a quite few things to do when they got home…..

* * *

Ryuuzaki residence, that same night.

"Ah, Mayu, I am having some problems with Sakuno, and I think its better that you come to Tokyo as quickly as possible. You might have to bring her back with you sometime soon," the older Ryuuzaki was calling her niece in Osaka immediately after sending Sakuno to bed with a mug of warm milk.

"Eh! Little Sakuno-chan? This is happening too early, but alright, I will be on my way as soon as I can, Sumire oba-sama," Mayu was quick to affirm. This was definitely a family crisis, and Mayu knew she was the nearest one available to Tokyo .

Sumire checked on her granddaughter a few times during the night. Thankfully, Sakuno was sleeping peacefully throughout.

* * *

A/N: Anyone noticed that i am terrible at separating chapters? some too long some too short ... sigh 


	5. Chapter 5

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

* * *

Chapter 5

The next day was a Friday, Sakuno went to school as usual, but her Obaa-chan had specially requested that she come home immediately after school to meet her Mayu ba-chan who was suddenly coming in from Osaka that day to stay for a while with them. To that end, Sakuno had left home earlier so she could catch Ryoma after his morning practice.

Hugging a neatly folded jersey to her chest, she hurried to the tennis courts. Practice was still in progress, so she had to wait to return the jersey to Ryoma and to thank him again.

She stood in her customary place outside the tennis courts as she watched and waited.

Ryoma was involved in a practice game with Momo-senpai, and already held the upper hand. He kept all his service games by using the Twister Serve mercilessly. Momo-senpai was not about to give up and kept trying to return the powerful serves.

Trouble started when Momo-senpai accidentally knocked the ball into the next court, coincidentally hitting Kaidoh-senpai in the head.

"Teme! Hsss….What do you think you are doing, kono Baka!"

"Ah, gomen, gomen! But couldn't you have noticed the ball coming at you? You should have been able to avoid it in time, baka mamushi … …"

"Kono yaro! You were in the wrong and you should apologize properly! Hsss…."

And so the story went.

Ryoma retreated to the sidelines; intent on a water break while his two hardheaded senpais sort out their issues.

Sakuno was looking worriedly at the fight between the two second year regulars, and wondering who would come and stop them from going at each other's throats. She looked around at Ryoma, hoping that he could do something about it.

Ryoma, however, was more interested in his drink and merely watched as the argument got louder and louder, attracting the attention of other regulars and, worst of all, Tezuka Buchou.

From that point onwards, the problem was solved in as much time as it took for the stern Buchou to say," Momo, Kaidoh, 50 laps around the courts for disrupting practice! The rest of you, continue what you were doing!"

_Sasuga Tezuka Buchou, scary!_

The rest of the morning went smoothly, and Sakuno managed to catch up with Ryoma as he was leaving for class.

"Ryoma-kun, matte!" Sakuno, her long braids flying, ran towards her prince.

Ryoma stood and watched as she approached, remembering how pale and cold she had been the night before. Well, she certainly didn't look dead this morning, he thought.

"Ryuuzaki," He acknowledged her in his no-nonsense way.

Blushing prettily from her short sprint, Sakuno nodded and replied, " Ohayo, Ryoma-kun. Ano, here, this is your jersey. Thank you very much for lending it to me yesterday."

Ryoma acknowledged her reply and accepted the neat package. His selective memory did not deign it important to recall his strange reaction at her smile last night, nor did the vision of Sakuno in his jersey come to his mind. Thinking the issue was settled, he started walking towards the classrooms again.

Sakuno followed a little way behind, thrilled that she was walking almost beside her prince. They crossed the campus in silence, Sakuno had to walk rather quickly to catch up with Ryoma's longer stride. They parted ways at the corridors outside the classrooms.

"Ja, mata ne, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno breathlessly said her goodbyes and ran into her classroom.

* * *

She didn't see him again at lunch, and sadly couldn't watch his practice after school that day.

Ryoma didn't notice that the petite girl with the long braids was not standing beside the loud cheerleader that afternoon.

* * *

Sakuno was walking home slowly, enjoying the birds flying in the sky and the trees waving in breeze. The route was familiar to her, so she was quite confident that she wouldn't suddenly find herself lost because she was not paying attention.

She heard a rustling in the bushes before a black cat jumped into her path, its green eyes studying her with a pompous air. She squatted down to say hi to it," Here, neko-chan, are you lost?"

The black cat sniffed condescendingly, and turned around, sashaying down the road, its long black tail waving in the air. It stopped a little distance away, and looked back at her, the atmosphere around it was charged with impatience and annoyance. Sakuno got the distinct impression that the cat wanted her to follow it quickly. Unsure of the cat's destination, Sakuno started after it feeling thoroughly confused.

The cat gradually increased its speed, first walking quickly then breaking into a run. Sakuno had a hard time keeping up on her uncoordinated legs, and just as she came to the last turning to her house, she completely lost track of the black waving tail that was leading her.

She stopped to catch her breath, and decided to just return home since she had lost the trail of the black cat. Turning the corner, she was rather surprised to see a woman waiting outside her home.

"Aa! Mayu ba-chan! You got here early! Sorry to keep you waiting," Sakuno broke into apologies when she recognized the woman in her late twenties, dressed in a long purple dress with silver prints and a red straw hat. Her Mayu ba-chan was a strange one in her dressing, and she remembered very well that straw hats were her aunt's favorite accessories.

"Ah, there you are Sakuno-chan. Don't worry, I haven't been waiting very long," Mayu gave a welcoming smile and went to hug Sakuno. Mayu had rather special eye color, her eyes were basically brown, but had specks of gold surrounding her pupils. Those eyes carefully studied Sakuno for the short time she held her close.

When her aunt moved back from her, Sakuno spotted what was sitting calmly on the top step to her home, and slowly cleanly itself with a haughty air.

"Ah! Saki no neko-chan," Sakuno pointed to the cat in surprise.

"You have met Kurokuro-sama? Hahaha, guess this won't turn out to be a wasted trip then, if KuroKuro-sama has deemed you worthy of his notice," Mayu was chuckling at some personal joke that had completely escaped Sakuno.

_A-re! Neko-chan was actually Neko-_sama

"Ano, Kurokuro-sama desu ne? Yoroshiku onegai shimasu," Sakuno felt strange at paying such respect to a cat, but the feline seemed hardly new to the preferential treatment. In fact, Kurokuro paused in licking his paws and gave a slight nod in Sakuno's direction.

To say that Sakuno was taken aback at being acknowledged by a cat was putting it lightly, she actually felt strangely honored that the black feline took notice of her humble self.


	6. Chapter 6

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

* * *

Chapter 6

She was staring hard at her aunt's pet, and came to her senses when Kurokuro turned his head and looked pointedly at the front door behind him. "Ah! Sorry for keeping you outside, let me open the door for you now," Sakuno was flustered at her poor treatment of her guests.

They made their way into the house, and Sakuno quickly showed her aunt to the guest room where she would sleep. Leaving her aunt to freshen up after her long trip, Sakuno toddled into the kitchen and started boiling a kettle of water for making tea. Kurokuro followed her into the kitchen, a fact she discovered after turning around and almost stepping on the cat.

"Kurokuro-sama! Gomenasai! Eto, was there something you wanted?" Sakuno couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something distinctly awkward with the fact that she was speaking to the cat.

Worse, she was quite sure it understood her words.

Said feline coolly padded to the refrigerator and looked at her expectantly.

"Ano, perhaps you are thirsty?" Green eyes narrow in annoyance, as if to say, "_Well, DUH! So do something about it!_"

Sakuno was carefully putting a saucer of cold milk down for the black cat when her aunt came into the kitchen, sans crimson headwear.

"Kurokuro! Don't impose on our hostess, you spoilt brat!" Mayu was chastising her pet loudly as soon as she stepped into the narrow kitchen. Said spoilt brat meow once, then turn his attention back to the milk, lapping it up elegantly in the way cats do, as opposed to the noisier way of dogs.

"Ano, it was no trouble, Mayu ba-chan, really!" Sakuno quickly informed her aunt.

"Well, if you say so. Thanks for accommodating him, I just thought he might come in useful on this trip; otherwise I wouldn't have brought him this far from home. Just you make sure you don't end up running in circles around him, he has a bad habit making weak-minded people do things for his enjoyment."

Weak-minded?? Ano ne …Mayu ba-chan…… Eh! Kurokuro-sama is smirking! That look reminds me of Ryoma-kun… …

"Well, don't just stand there, Sakuno, the kettle is boiling, shall we make some tea?" Mayu was helping herself to the contents of the cupboards.

"H-Hai, ba-chan!"

They were sitting down to cups of hot tea at the kitchen table, since Mayu didn't want to move into the living room. The scene was cozy, aunt and niece chatting in the kitchen, with a domesticated feline on the floor lapping up milk from a saucer.

"Now, Sakuno, you must be curious why I suddenly moved in to stay, so let me try to explain. I am here at the request of Sumire Oba-sama, and the reason for her request is you." Mayu settled back comfortably in her chair and took in her niece's reaction to her cryptic speech.

Sakuno was, as expected, confused and worried. Did she do something wrong? But if she did, why did Obaa-chan not scold her for it immediately? Why send for Mayu ba-chan who stayed in Osaka? She couldn't turn up a single reason for being the cause of all these trouble, but she just knew that everything was her fault. Ultimately, everything was her fault.

Sakuno started to apologize profusely," Gomenasai, ba-chan! Gomen, gomen!" Her eyes were starting to water, in regret of whatever wrong she committed.

Mayu sweatdropped. Her niece looked to be ripe fodder for Evil Feline Lord Kurokuro; she suspected the time she spent with Sakuno might have to be extended infinitely if she wanted Sakuno to have a more suitable attitude for her position.

"Ah … no, actually you haven't done anything wrong. It was inherited, you see, so no, you really didn't do anything wrong," Mayu tried to pacify her niece whose tears were threatening to cascade from her lovely brown eyes. "And you can't actually do anything about it either, it just comes to you, or it doesn't. None of it was your fault. All you can do is to understand and be prepared for the change to take place, which I am here to help you with."

Sakuno was getting more confused and more worried. What was ba-chan talking about? Was she feeling alright?

It was so easy to read her niece's mind from her vivid facial expression, Mayu gave an inward sigh as she mentally added a couple more years to the infinite period of time she had to spend on the younger Ryuuzaki. Sakuno might as well write, "I am totally lost in this conversation, and its all my own fault!!" on her forehead.

"Okay, Sakuno-chan, this may take a while, so sit comfortably and I will reintroduce you to the extended version of family history of the Ryuuzakis."


	7. Chapter 7

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 7**

They had an ancestor from more than a century ago who was a powerful witch. This ancestor did a favor for a magical being inadvertently, and was granted one wish for anything she wanted.

Being a practical witch, rather than asking to live forever or for all the money in the world, said ancestor asked for her powers to perpetuate throughout eternity in all future generations that shared her blood. Her wish was granted almost immediately, when her brothers' daughters suddenly Changed from commoners to magic users.

Thusly, for every subsequent generation following that, at least one of the females born under the family name was gifted with magical powers. All Ryuuzaki witches were aunts and nieces carrying the blood of the ancestor. Mayu ba-chan was one of three in her generation, and Kurokuro-sama, the high and mighty, was apparently a direct descendant of the familiar belonging to the original ancestor.

Their witchcraft wasn't about turning random things into gold. They couldn't bring the dead to life, or move mountains, or part seas.

They could actually fly on a broom with enough practice, but since it would be a strange sight in their modern world, they should refrain from said activity.

They could conjure up random objects, but keep in mind that their powers only enable them to move an inanimate object already in existence from point A to point C, without passing point B. Afterwards, especially if the object belonged to other people, they must try to put it back as unchanged as possible. They would have to be considerate of the people who put it there in the first place.

As an example, Mayu ba-chan called forth a jar of cookies, and even gave a few to Sakuno. Then she made the jar vanish again.

As she ate the cookies at her aunt's insistence, Sakuno figured that no one would want to put a jar of cookies on a shelf and turn around to find some of the cookies gone. The frown between her brows conveyed her worries to Mayu, who went on to assure her niece that the cookies came from her own kitchen back in Osaka, and were made by her own hands. So, did they taste good?

Sakuno was pleased to compliment her aunt on the yummy cookies and didn't forget to thank her for the treats.

Mayu further explained that in this time and place, only the most practical of magics came in useful. Transportation spells like the one she just witnessed came in handy whenever she left some important thing at home. Others include Protection spells and Healing spells, all of which Mayu would teach Sakuno after she Changed. Mayu's level of magic power did not permit her to use spells whenever she wanted, and she definitely couldn't cast spells consecutively without fainting dead away.

For it seemed that each generation shared among themselves the exact amount of magical powers the ancestor had. Each of Mayu's cousins and herself had exactly one-third of the ability of their ancestor. So, this was the antithesis of the common saying, "The more, the merrier."

Sakuno might turn out to be the strongest Ryuuzaki witch alive since she was the only female of her generation thus far. If no other girls came along, she would have at her command all the powers that belonged to their ancestor. Mayu assured her that this was a most exciting event for the magic-users in the family. When the others found out, they would definitely want to meet Sakuno. It was important that Sakuno learned the ways of the craft before they got here.

From past experience, most of the witches Changed when they were about eighteen, hence the others wouldn't guess that Sakuno was to be initiated at such a young age. Mayu would keep things quiet until she was sure Sakuno had found her way with magic. It would be such a great surprise for everyone when Sakuno was presented a full-fledged witch!

Mayu was eager to start training Sakuno as soon as possible. She gave Sakuno a summary of the actions to be taken: Sakuno needed to learn the qualities of a witch.

Mayu further listed the points Sakuno had to work on: She was too humble. She was too quick to apologize for things that were not her fault to begin with. She would cry at the slightest provocation.

And, Mayu grieved, in spite of her natural beauty, she was just dressed too commonly. Mayu deduced that Sakuno would easily be lost in a crowd, a fact that Sakuno didn't deny.

And those above were only what Mayu found out since she got here, the list might grow longer… …

"The Ryuuzaki Witches must STAND OUT, STAND PROUD and STAND FIRM," Mayu intoned.

Apparently that was the behavioral guide for the witches, a code of conduct that enabled them to STAND head and shoulders above everyone else.

Sakuno was suddenly reminded of her friend Tomoka ……

All those _STAND_s were pretty much the exact opposite of what Sakuno was, and Mayu cringed a little at the amount of work she had before her. But there was no turning back: Ryuuzaki Sakuno was to be a witch, and no one, least of all the subject herself, had a say in it.


	8. Chapter 8

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 8**

Ryuuzaki Sakuno was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking tea with her aunt Mayu, and there was a black cat sleeping on another chair.

"You know, the fact that Kurokuro the Great has approached you is quite a surprise. He mostly ignores people who are not holding edibles in their hands and I didn't see you holding any food when you came home. He even puts on that condescending air when my fellow witches come visit," Mayu ba-chan wondered aloud, glancing at her familiar who was stretched out on a chair cushion. " You really must be special."

That cat had made her run all the way home, probably because it was tired of waiting at the front door with Mayu. Sakuno kept that insight to herself. She blushed anyway, at her aunt's compliment. She still had a lot of questions for her aunt on that topic.

"Mayu ba-chan, what is happening to me? What will happen to me?"

"I assume you have been getting strange recurring dreams? They would have started sometime back, but are getting more frequent now. These are what we call Premonition Dreams."

_A-re?_ Sakuno seldom remembered what she saw in her dreams, so she wasn't sure if this had happened to her.

" When I started having these dreams, my mother told me my body turned very hot while I was sleeping, and for a while she thought I was running high fever. Sumire oba-sama must have found you showing strange signs while you were sleeping."

_Well, this was more familiar territory._ Sakuno recalled the biting cold she found herself in a few times after waking up. And just yesterday, Ryoma-kun had given her his jersey to protect her from the cold … …

"Mayu ba-chan, I still do not understand … … what is this Change that will take place?" Sakuno was trying very hard to find her footing in this information overload.

Her aunt's gold-speckled eyes lit up in humor, "Oh that, don't worry, it will be over so quickly, you won't even feel it."


	9. Chapter 9

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 9**

Sakuno was questioning her aunt on the nature of the Change when Ryuuzaki Sumire's voice rang out, "Tadaima!"

"Obaa-chan! Okaerinasai!" Sakuno quickly left the kitchen to greet her grandmother. She was still confused by everything she had heard from Mayu, so her grandmother was a welcome and comforting sight.

Mayu trailed after her, since she had to greet the elder Ryuuzaki as well. "Oba-sama, long time no see. I hope I find you in good health."

"Ah. Sakuno, Mayu, have you had your talk yet? Mayu, how is the situation?" Sumire's foremost concern was her sweet little granddaughter.

"We should look into preparing her for the Change as soon as possible." Mayu replied, looking very pleased.

"I observed her last evening. She was deathly cold, and didn't respond for a long time when I tried to wake her up. I plan to put her in a tub of warm water next time it happens. Exactly when will her Change take place?" Sumire was already planning her course of action.

She was also feeling rather bad that she didn't notice the situation earlier. If Sakuno had been having the dreams for a while, and waking up cold and alone, Sumire was sorely lacking in her duties as grandmother and guardian.

"I have my cards with me, let me do a charting for Sakuno-chan, see if I can find out anything," Mayu answered then called out to her familiar, "Kurokuro, go fetch my cards from the bedroom."

_Eh?_ Sakuno thought only dogs helped to fetch things for their owners. Kurokuro must be a very clever cat.

Sure enough, Sakuno saw the black cat leave the kitchen, and slowly sashay to the guest bedroom, all the while mewing softly.

"Aah, stop your complaints, I am hardly asking you to run a marathon. …… Remember that we are guests here, so you must behave. …… I taught you better manners than that! …… Sumire oba-sama is your ELDER! You better watch your words," Mayu paused between lines, seemingly holding a conversation with her pet, which continued its soft mewls.

Sakuno was looking on oddly, and glanced to her grandmother for confirmation.

"Ah. Just ignore that spoilt brat of a cat. As for you, Sakuno, if you are having problems, you must let us help. Mayu has gone through the Change before, and she is here to act as your mentor. I will also do what I can," Sumire put her arm around Sakuno's shoulders, seeking to give her assurance that she wasn't standing alone in this.

"Hai, Obaa-chan" Sakuno mumbled, her mind still deeply mired in thoughts, foremost of which was: was her aunt REALLY talking with, no, make that _CONVERSING_ with, a _CAT_?

Kurokuro did bring the cards into the living room, dropping the package on the tea table unceremoniously before skulking off to do whatever it was cats do.

"That's a good kitty," Mayu complimented it off-handedly. Sakuno distinctly heard the cat give a snort on its way out.


	10. Chapter 10

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 10**

The three Ryuuzakis sat down in the living room for the card reading. Mayu asked Sakuno to shuffle the cards in a particular way before she dealt them out in a formation.

"Let's see now, Sakuno-chan will Change within this year, when there is a full moon. That would narrow down the possibilities considerably," Mayu read the cards in a soft voice, and then turned to study the wall calendar. "Earliest it would be is this Sunday, followed by 2 other days at one-month intervals."

_Oh no!! Sunday was only 2 days away!_

"Mayu ba-chan! Can you tell me what to expect during this Change? It sounds scary," Sakuno held a clenched fist over her lips.

"It will just be the Premonition Dream that you have had a few times already, so don't worry. After this your gift will be released into your control, and all we need to do is teach you to command it." Mayu said carelessly, as though such a thing was a daily occurrence. "What's more important comes after." And here, she smiled secretively, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"This Sunday hmm, we better start packing then. Sakuno, go pack a week's worth of fresh clothes. Mayu, I trust you have suitable accommodation for Sakuno at your place? If not I can ask a friend of mine for a room, she stays near your home in Osaka." Sumire was once more mapping out the actions to be taken.

_A-re! Pack fresh clothes? Accommodation in Osaka?_

"Obaa-chan, am I supposed to leave our home? Why?" Sakuno anxiously questioned her grandmother.

"Ah. You have to study the craft, and learn from Mayu. We can't disrupt her life for an unknown period of time by keeping her here. And I am sure she has books and equipment at her home that you will find useful as you learn. I hope to see that you have settled nicely into your new status when you come back."

"But-but, how long will I be away from you, away from school ……," and away from Ryoma-kun!?

"That will depend on how fast you learn. I will settle your absence with the school, you will just have to repeat this academic year if needs be. Right now, it's more important to concentrate on the craft. Finding out about yourself, and your new powers, is more important, Sakuno. It will affect you for the rest of your life," Her grandmother replied gently.

"Obaa-chan, please can we decide on a fixed time? I don't want to leave you, not knowing when I can come back," Tears were spilling from Sakuno's eyes.

Mayu sighed, "Oba-sama, let's give her two months as a tangible deadline. I believe I can teach her the basics by then. The rest of it, she can work out on her own. No two witches are exactly the same anyway, Sakuno has to find her own path."

"Sakuno-chan," Mayu looked at the weeping girl," there are many things I need to share with you, to help you understand the magic, but as soon as you can demonstrate that you understand, you are free to strike out on your own."

Ryuuzaki Sumire had already decided to put Sakuno's magic training in Mayu's capable hands, hence she was agreeable to Mayu's suggestion.

Sakuno cast grateful eyes upon her aunt. Her indefinite exile from school had been shortened to eight weeks, maybe less! She resolved to work very, very hard, so she could come back to Tokyo as soon as possible.

* * *

That night, when the house was quiet, Sakuno lay awake in bed, her mind filled with many confusing thoughts. The only certainty she could hold on to was that she would do her best to learn the way of magic, and come back to Tokyo, to her friends and to a certain tennis prodigy.

She finally fell asleep way after midnight, and again found herself alone in the darkness.

* * *

It was scarier, now that she knew more about the meaning behind this darkness. However, this time, she woke up to the concerned faces of her grandmother and her aunt, and she even spotted a long black tail nearby. So it turned out quite alright, in spite of her finding herself soaked in warm water while still in her pyjamas.

* * *

Saturday past in a flurry of action; Sumire had a long task list for Sakuno to complete, and Sakuno had to finish it all before night fell, in case she had to leave with Mayu after this weekend.

Saturday night, she went to bed apprehensively, but she did not dream when she finally fell asleep.

* * *

Sunday morning came, and Sakuno was a bag of nerves. Her grandmother stayed by her side, while Mayu told them stories about Kurokuro's exploits. It seemed that black cat had no qualms "influencing" people to feed him snacks, even though Mayu kept him well fed twice a day. Mayu was waiting for the day when some clever soul would sneak laxatives into Kurokuro's snacks, or when Kurokuro grew too fat to move, whichever came first.

They then decided to go shopping to while away the afternoon, and abandoned Kurokuro for the stores. Mayu happily snagged two new straw hats for herself at a good discount and spent a long time picking and trying out dresses. She had Sakuno try several different outfits, claiming it was absolutely natural for girls to love clothes. All that activity took Sakuno's mind off what might take place that night, and time passed quickly once she relaxed and started to enjoy herself.

It was late evening when they got home, having settled the evening meal at a ramen place as well. Mayu went to put away her shopping, while Sumire ran a bath for herself. Sakuno stayed in the living room and watched some TV, with Kurokuro for company.

She was rather tired from the shopping spree, and since no one was watching, she decided to stretch herself out on the sofa while watching the evening news. She was so comfortable in that position that she gradually slipped into a light slumber, lulled by the soothing voice of the newscaster… …

Mayu came running into the living room when she heard Kurokuro scream for her in a high-pitched meow. She found Sakuno on the sofa, looking very pale and it didn't look as though she was breathing. Mayu quickly touched her hand to her niece's face and confirmed that Sakuno was already lost in her Premonition Dream.

This may or may not be Sakuno's time to Change, Mayu could only wait to find out. Meanwhile, she really should try to keep her niece's body warm ……


	11. Chapter 11

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**Chapter 11**

That night, Sakuno finally found out what lay beyond the darkness. All in one night, she met her destiny and was given a peek at her future. All in one night, her last night in Tokyo for a long time to come ……

* * *

-Seigaku, Tennis Practice after school- 

He was not the first one to notice, in fact, the news was only delivered to him after he failed to get away from the other 3 Ichinens and the loud cheerleader.

Then, Horio and the loud cheerleader were shouting at the same time, one in each of his long-suffering ears. He was rather taken aback when he finally figured out what they were trying to say.

_Ryuuzaki-chan had not come to school for 2 weeks!_

_Sakuno was missing!_

_Did he know what happened_ _to Ryuuzaki-san? When did he last see her?_

He didn't think much of the issue then, just told them to find out from the Obaa-san. Anyway, he figured she probably fell sick or something.

Later, when he was on his own, laying in bed and cuddling Karupin while he studied the ceiling, he recalled how cold she was last Thursday, how weak she seemed … And how cute she looked in his Regular jersey.

_Now, where did that line come from?_

Well, she definitely fell sick then, although he could vaguely recall seeing her well and alive the next day … Oh, well. She'll come back to school soon. Then he could find out what did happen to her when the other Ichinens and the loud cheerleader forcibly tell him.

He turned on the bed, shrugging off those non-tennis-related thoughts like so much dust.

* * *

He didn't realize what was going on with him until he caught himself distracted during a game. The loud cheerleader was probably late that day; that's why he hadn't already tuned her out before he started playing. 

He suddenly heard her calling him when he was in the middle of a game with Momo-senpai. Hearing that "RYOMA SAMAAA!" brought to mind a softer "Ryoma-kun", which made him recall the 'incident' and her absence. He just wanted to see if she was back, nothing special even if she _was_, he was just curious.

He looked. And couldn't find. For a moment, it felt like his heart was falling. _Why was he disappointed?_ Then he was rudely called back to the game when Momo-senpai was performing his Dunk Smash, and making all the loud noises that accompanied his special move.

After that, when he was at the burger place with Momo-senpai and Kikumaru-senpai, he tried to recall how long she had been gone. He couldn't recall exactly, but he had a feeling it was a very long time. That thought bothered him all through dinner, and Momoshiro had to rouse him more than once and scold him for not paying attention to his senpai-tachi. To which he simply reiterated his favorite phrase, "Mada Mada da ne."

_Hai, mada mada da ne, Echizen Ryoma, letting a girl bother you like that. Especially since **she wasn't even around** to give you trouble._

He decided that he had to find out, that he had to settle this issue if he was to be able to keep his mind on tennis. Not wanting to give his senpai-tachi more gossip fodder, he went to some trouble to catch Ryuuzaki-sensei alone, and asked outright where was her granddaughter.

_She was away._

_No, she didn't say when she would be back._

_Actually, no, she didn't exactly say that she would come back. But she was doing fine, thank you for your concern._

_And no, the other regulars wouldn't find out that he was asking._

That was that. He tried to close the issue, but his heart was having a little trouble forgetting a certain longhaired girl with big brown eyes, and who was wearing his jersey. The image stuck with him for a long time.

* * *

Time passed, how many days, how many months, he really wasn't taking note. But finally, thoughts of her were silenced and buried in his heart, like a small pebble at the bottom of a pond. It was always there, just buried far below the surface. 

She never came back. _The girl whose existence was never more known to him than when she wasn't there_.

She wasn't there when Seigaku won the nationals, himself clinching the crucial match. The loud cheerleader made her presence known without doubt, but _she_ wasn't there.

She wasn't there when the trio finally made it into the Regular team, and her friend started to cheer for Horio at every practice. Not that he minded, it was actually quite a relief to be rid of her. He just thought, no matter that one was the antithesis of the other, she still reminded him of _her_.

She wasn't there when he was appointed as Buchou for the club, a position he grudgingly accepted. She wasn't there when he led the team to greater glory.

She wasn't there. He told himself he didn't care.

And then he would remember that sometimes, she was. And that sometimes, he did.

She was in his mind at the strangest moments; when he successfully countered Fuji Syuusuke's Triple Counters, when he managed to win more points against his baka Oyaji, when he effectively tamed an especially bratty, and slightly gifted, Kouhai by utterly trashing him in a game.

She was there when he was just lying in bed, with only his thoughts and his cat for company. She was there with her impractical long braids and soulful eyes. And she was always wearing the oversized jersey with their school colors.

Graduation sneaked up on him. When he turned his back on the tennis team after leaving his last piece of advice, he wondered how she was doing.

* * *

_It took her 2 years to come back._

_She remembered her initial trauma at leaving the place that meant home to her, and the people who were her friends._

_She could have returned much earlier, at the 2-month deadline, but she chose not to._

_Her power was, indeed, strong. Much stronger than the other Ryuuzaki witches, whom she had met over the last couple of years. So strong, she almost couldn't control it in the beginning._

_Within 2 months, Mayu managed to toughen her up, made her mind stronger than the magic. She remembered her aunt telling her: Without a strong mind, she would only be consumed by the magic. A witch who couldn't control her own magic was merely seeking demise._

_And soon, she wasn't so terrified anymore; then she wasn't crying every night because her friends were far away from her. Her interest in the magic and its philosophy grew, she wanted to find out more, try out more._

_And she kept at it for 2 whole years, while continuing her studies at a local school._

_And finally, after graduation, Ryuuzaki Sakuno the witch was ready to go home. To the friends she had to leave behind._

* * *

A/N: Ano … couldn't help myself, once I started typing, the story line gets more wrecked up …. Sigh, sorry, I know the whole thing is bloody long, I meant to do short and sweet pieces only … mou …. Remember the sweet scene that started all these? I changed it and stuffed it into the following 2 or 3 chappies, original idea was that ONE: Sakuno would "suddenly" realize that she and Ryoma were meant to be, so she would end up more relaxed around him rather than all shy and tongue-tied. Then all her natural beauty would come out and Ryoma had to beat off other suitors to get to her. TWO: Absence _does_ make the heart fonder, and Ryoma only missed Sakuno when she wasn't there anymore (well, that she would disappear for a loooong while, at least) 

Yikes! Long A/N .. sorry! Plz R&R, and big thanks to Magy, atori and cyjj for reviewing the first 10 chapters …. I know the story is dragging …. Big hugz to u guys for sticking with me


	12. Chapter 12

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 12**

Ryoma was rather looking forward to starting high school. Most of his senpai-tachi had also gone to the affiliated Seigaku High. It would be almost like old times. Well, almost.

Since he had gained quite a bit of height in the last few years, he imagined his senpai-tachi wouldn't be able to call him by that embarrassing nickname again. He had reached Momo-senpai's shoulders by the time the dunk-smasher graduated. And he also grew out of his slight chubbiness and was even more handsome; the increase in fangirls was proof enough. The girls still fell like dominoes in the presence of the tennis prince with the gold catlike eyes.

It was the first day of school, and there was an early assembly for all new students. He sneaked out as soon as attendance was taken. Assemblies were boring, and he didn't need an introduction to the school; he already knew where the tennis courts were.

And that was where he was headed for. The tennis club would be holding morning practice about this time, and he wanted to check out the strength of the team he would belong to for the next few years.

Kikumaru saw him coming from almost a hundred meters away, and his enthusiastic greeting, which immediately followed his discovery, reached even further than that.

"O-chiiii-biiii-chaaaaan!!! Over here Nya!!!" Kikumaru was doing his best imitation of a skinny chicken trying very hard to fly.

_Okay, so he'll take back what he thought about them using that stupid nickname again. He could hope, couldn't he?_

The morning was spent playing tennis with his senpai-tachi, and he figured it was the best kind of orientation he could have had.

They walked him to his classroom after practice, at Ooshi's insistence, because the 'Mama' of the tennis team was truly worried that his kouhai would lose his way around the new campus.

Kikumaru and Momoshiro just wanted more time to tease their favorite freshman.

Inui didn't want to miss any chance to collect ii data on the tennis prince, and he dragged Kaidoh along in spite of the latter's hissed protests.

Fuji tagged along for reasons unknown to anyone who wasn't a sadistic tensai.

Tezuka was overseas studying while building up his tennis career. Kawamura had truly given up on the sport to concentrate on learning his father's trade.

The student population was treated to the rare and welcome sight of seven dashingly handsome, or in some cases pretty, boys making their way down the corridor. The small group of tennis players drew quite a lot of attention on their "escort Ochibi" mission.

Ryoma was still trying to escape from twin headlocks when the group stopped at the door to his classroom. Kikumaru and Momoshiro were reluctant to let him off easy, and the two of them kept on with their antics, refusing to let Ryoma enter the class.

The door slid open to reveal 3 handsome youths on one side and a very pretty girl on the other. Momoshiro was immediately distracted and Ryoma grabbed the opportunity to escape from Kikumaru as well.

The girl was shorter than even Ryoma, but she was slim and long-limbed. Her slightly wavy brown hair fell almost to her hips, and was being blown about gently by the fans in the classroom. Her oval face was flawless, and her big round eyes were the center of attraction. They were brown, and speckled with gold.

It could have been because he thought of her so much. It could have been because her hair was still impractically long. He would have doubted his memory when he saw her eyes, except that he would be the first to admit that he had never actually looked at her eyes. Whichever, whatever, Ryoma recognized her almost instantly, and his heart leaped.

Had he been alone instead of being surrounded by nosy tennis players, he would have called her name and asked her where had she been for the last 2 years. But he wasn't and he swallowed the questions at the tip of his tongue.


	13. Chapter 13

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 13**

Sakuno was hoping to see her old friends by coming to Seigaku High. If a certain tennis player also came to this school, it would be icing on the cake. But she had told herself many times, that even if he had forgotten about her, she could wait.

And she would wait. For she had been given a peek into her future, and she knew that all she needed to do, was wait.

2 years ago, after she Changed, she also came to an understanding about herself. She was weak. She was weak because life was uncertain, humans were afraid of getting hurt, and they were afraid of change. Her magical Change brought with it an emotional change. Mayu taught her many lessons in that aspect, and now although the world remained the same, Ryuuzaki Sakuno had changed her view of it.

Once, she was privileged to have a little of her future shown to her. And because of that eventuality, her heart was stronger. All things from now till then ceased to be so threatening, and all things from now till then were eagerly embraced for each would bring her nearer her goal.

Once, she was afraid of change, very afraid right up to the last moment before Change took place. And then, she discovered, changes brought new and exciting things; and the state before change was a lot more frightening then the state after. She had resolved to look forward to the state after, rather than uselessly cling onto the state before.

Her aunt commented before she left Osaka, "Sakuno-chan, you should see yourself now, really see yourself. The physical change in you is nothing compared to the change in your spirit. You are stronger now. I am very glad that you were who you were, and that you are who you have become."

She was too. And she was very thankful for the gift, the gift she was once terrified of receiving.

* * *

On the first day of high school, Sakuno arrived early for the special assembly. She had not kept in contact with any of her old classmates, not even her best friend Tomoka. She wanted to see them in person before trying to explain her long absence.

She couldn't tell them the real reason she left, so she had come up with a plausible reason of needing to be with her Aunt. That was lying by omission, and Sakuno didn't like lying to her friends. She figured the least she could do was to lie sincerely in person rather than hide behind the cover of a phone call.

There wasn't much time to look for her friends during assembly; the new students had to sit through the long introduction by the principal and teachers, and were then led like obedient sheep to their homerooms.

Having led the students to their respective classrooms, the teachers-in-charge introduced themselves then gave the students time to get acquainted to all the new things and people around them.

Sakuno was quietly settling down at her new desk when a few of the boys approached her shyly. She was happy to make new friends and smiled as they introduced each other. But all too soon, the boys were emboldened enough to ask for dates. Sakuno didn't want to be rude to new friends. She gently, but firmly refused their invitations and decided to leave them to wear off their enthusiasm. Using a washroom trip as an excuse, she smoothly avoided more unwanted invitations.

She had opened the classroom door but found her exit blocked. By a group of tennis players, all of whom she knew from before, especially the one in the center, the tall boy with the gold catlike eyes.

She recognized him. He was taller. His face was sharper, but his eyes remained the same. Her heart pounded, reminiscent of long ago, then she remembered her future, and she smiled, the first genuine smile she gave this day.

Momoshiro was staring at her, and she mentally chided herself for her poor manners.

"Ohayo, senpai-tachi. Ohayo, Ryoma-kun."


	14. Chapter 14

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

**

* * *

Chapter 14**

Her voice was the same, soft and melodious, yet at the same time, different. She didn't stutter or blush like she used to do. Ryoma was occupied with this new development, only remembering to return the greeting when Fuji and the others did.

"Ohayo."

"Ohayo! Ne, who are you, nya? How come you know Ochibi's name? Ne, Ochibi! You know her from before?"

Kikumaru unthinkingly voiced the questions in everyone's minds, although he sounded a little rude and his longtime doubles partner felt obliged to apologize for the redhead's forthright methods.

"_Iie_. Oishi-senpai, Kikumaru-senpai, _sonna koto wa nai wa_" lit: no, no such thing, i.e. no need to apologize

"NYAAAA! You know Oishi and me TOO!!" Kikumaru took to hiding behind Oishi, calling in a loud whisper from his safe place," Ne, Oishi, is she some kind of magician, nya?"

Sakuno was quietly amused; Kikumaru was not far off the mark.

Fuji spoke up, beaming his gentle smile at Sakuno, " Sakuno-chan _desho_? Ryuuzaki Sakuno. Maa, you have become very pretty since we last met." The observant tensai was perking up at the chain of exciting events unfolding before him. Kikumaru may have had better eyesight, but apparently the acrobatics player didn't have a good memory for faces.

Now that everyone knew who she was, Ryoma felt himself release the pent-up breath he didn't know he was holding. It should be all right now if he 'remembered' her too.

Sakuno thanked Fuji for the compliment, and couldn't hide the small blush on her cheeks.

"_ii data_, the old coach's granddaughter has become a great beauty. Chances of at least half the male students in this school asking her out, 100 per cent."

Inui's words jerked Ryoma back to reality. He quickly glanced around at his senpai-tachi, and elbowed Momoshiro in the chest when he saw the latter was still staring at Sakuno in a trance-like state. Momoshiro spluttered a bit then tried to trap Ryoma in another headlock.

"Classes should be starting soon, don't senpai-tachi have to go to your classes as well?" Ryoma dodged Momoshiro's attack, mumbling off-handedly.

That excuse was apparently effective, as his senpai-tachi started to move along, but not without saying their goodbyes to "Ryuuzaki-chan", or "_Sakuno_-chan" in Fuji's case.

Ryoma and Sakuno faced each other across the open doorway, and for a while, neither of them said a word.

Sakuno was smiling gently, unable to contain the joy in her heart at meeting her prince again. Ryoma now knew who she was; even if he had forgotten her 2 years ago, Senpai-tachi's words would have reminded him.

Ryoma was feeling awkward. His heart was still somewhere in the vicinity of his throat, and her sweet smile wasn't helping. He would have liked to say something more personal than "hi", but his brain cells were not co-operating.

Thankfully, he was saved by the bell.

RRRRINGGGG!

Sakuno quickly stepped back into the classroom, and tilted her head questioningly at Ryoma.

Grateful to the school bell for ending an embarrassing situation, Ryoma followed Sakuno into the classroom.

The first day of school had begun.

* * *

A/N: Mada Mada Owaranai ….. I m trying not to add OC, and therein lies a problem.

I dun see Ryoma having a problem if its Kachiro or Katsuo who starts chasing Sakuno … (Horio's taken, by a loud cheerleader, true soulmates, just like this other fic I read somewhere on ffnet)

And although Momo was all but drooling over Sakuno, I don't see Ryoma having a problem there either

Guess who's left ??? heh heh heh ….

Oh yah, Sakuno's magic comes in useful …..but what, where, when and how?

Stay tuned to Finding Me, Finding You


	15. Chapter 15

Mata POT Ryosaku!! Yoroshiku ne!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own no nothing, really!

A/N: Boohoo!! I can't stop!! i see an ending ... very Ryosaku ending ... but i can't get there!! all these thoughts keep coming at me, making me write more and more and more, _cry_, i only wanted to do a short fic --"

**

* * *

**

Chapter 15

_She would enjoy coming to school_, Sakuno thought as she sat daydreaming in class. It was after all the first day, and sensei-tachi were not actually teaching anything yet. So in between the sensei of each subject introducing him or herself then giving out general instructions and appointing class reps before leaving the class, Sakuno had plenty of time to reflect on her new life back in her old town.

Yes, she would enjoy coming to school very much, let she count her reasons:

One, although she hadn't met any of her old classmates yet, she had already overheard a complaint about an 'obnoxious tennis player' who was 'bragging about his **five years** of tennis experience' loudly during the assembly, and whose girlfriend was his greatest fan and a very loud cheerleader. She had a very good idea who these two people might be.

Two, unlike the school in Osaka, she was here to stay, and she could make friends and settle in without worrying that she would have to leave at some unknown point in time. She had a good time at the Osaka school as well, an enriching two years when she was learning more about herself everyday, but then she was afraid of forming close relationships with anyone there since she knew she would come back to Tokyo soon.

Three, if this morning was any indication, she was going to be popular here. A total of 16 boys have approached her, since she stepped through the gates, and she was not experiencing any bad vibes from the girls who came up to make friends either. This was a small project that she decided to embark on to find out how Sakuno the witch STOOD in her home environment.

Her aunt had given her a complete makeover almost as soon as they touched Osaka soil, complaining about how she couldn't STAND seeing Sakuno tone down herself with her poor dressing. Sakuno was told to put her hair down and be proud of her extraordinarily long brown locks. She also received an entire new wardrobe from her aunt; the trip back to Tokyo was much more burdened compared to her swinging out of town with only one suitcase. And, thanks to Mayu, nothing from the original suitcase survived the round trip.

Out of the three STANDS in the Ryuuzaki witches guidelines, she figured she had STAND OUT and STAND PROUD down pat. And the next time she faced a situation, she would do her best to STAND FIRM.

Fourth and last reason for her enjoying this school was that she had a window seat, and the view was great, definitely conducive for daydreaming. And when the light hit the glass at the right angles, she could see the reflection of Ryoma, who sat right behind her.

* * *

Ryoma was cursing himself silently. 

He blamed his tongue, which couldn't find the appropriate things to say to Sakuno.

He blamed his brain, which went into Standby mode once he saw her.

And he blamed his legs, which brought him to the seat behind her.

He blamed his eyes, which couldn't stop studying her.

He blamed his heart, which ached from seeing a person it missed for a long time.

He blamed himself for not knowing how to approach her, even as he saw the other boys in the class come up to her in between classes.

And why were those other boys doing that? They kept coming back to talk to Sakuno, first about trivial things like the weather, and moving on to more personal things like her favorite food and favorite color etc.

Ryoma seethed. He was sitting there hearing every word, really wanting to ask them to go away, far away from Sakuno. And what was going on with that girl? She was just smiling and joking with those boys like she was enjoying the silly conversation. Ryoma didn't remember her as being so comfortable among the boys, recalling how she used to blush at every slightest tease from senpai-tachi. How her face would turn all pink when he himself teased her that long time ago.

He wanted to tell those boys to go away, but his reason for wanting that was holding him back. He wouldn't want to explain the burning feeling in his stomach he got from watching Sakuno with them; he didn't even want to know what it was.

Those boys went back to their desks when the next teacher came in, but he knew they were going to come back as soon as they could.

He really wished she would tell them to leave her alone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own PoT, sob**

**

* * *

Chapter 16**

After the last bell, Sakuno saw Ryoma leave the classroom, without saying goodbye to her. In fact, they hadn't really talked at all that day. Feeling a little disappointed at that, Sakuno wondered if she should catch up with him and exchange a few words anyway.

She missed out on two years of his life and his tennis, so she really wanted to find out how he was. Her grandmother would have let her know easily enough, if Sakuno asked. But Sakuno wanted to talk to Ryoma herself, and have him tell her about the things which happened in those missing years.

Making up her mind to say more than "Ohayo" to him today, she got her things together and started after him. There was no hurry to follow him; she had a good idea where he was headed for.

True to form, by the time Sakuno reached the tennis courts, having to stop several times along the way because some schoolmates wanted to introduce themselves, Ryoma was already involved in a game with Kaidoh-senpai. She found a bench right outside their court and sat down to watch him.

Freshmen shouldn't have been involved in club activities for a while yet, but apparently the tennis club had already unofficially accepted Echizen Ryoma, the Prince of Tennis.

He was playing fast and furious that day. Each time the ball bounced on the court, it made a very loud, very solid sound. And the speed they were playing at made the sound become a very fast rhythm.

Sakuno studied her prince from her seat. He had grown up. He was taller now, a fact that she knew he would be pleased with. He wasn't wearing that white cap anymore. She remembered how he used it to hide his expressions. Did the absence of the cap mean that he was better at controlling his expressions or that he was more open with showing his emotions now? Whichever, she found that she liked seeing him without the cap, his dark hair flying in the wind as he moved around on the court.

She felt someone else approach the bench and turned to see Fuji smiling at her in the special way he had. Sakuno greeted her senpai and waited until he sat down beside her, then turned back to watch the game. As she watched, she quietly analyzed Fuji's aura the way her aunt taught her, a witch's way of sizing people up.

Fuji was an enigma, known to people as a tensai whom no one should cross if they valued their sanity. Underneath his cool exterior, Sakuno could feel a warmer personality. She decided that his aura was soft gold on the inside, then a narrow ring of sharp red for his penchant to shock people and a range of cheerful green and yellow on the outside. The green and yellow were worn like a shield, protecting the vulnerable center. Fuji had a mostly a gentle and calming aura.

Fuji chatted with her as they watched Ryoma and Kaidoh play. She had settled comfortably into his aura when it suddenly changed, taking her by surprise.

It was when Ryoma had won the match against Kaidoh, and the two players were leaving the courts. Just as Ryoma looked straight at them, Fuji covered Sakuno's closer hand with his own.

Caught unaware by the change in the atmosphere and by the sudden contact, Sakuno was hit hard by a sense of purpose from Fuji directed at Ryoma. The tensai's smile didn't slip at all. She glanced at Ryoma, who glowered at Fuji before turning away from them.

It wasn't hard to guess what was going on, and Sakuno was… she decided to be grateful for the time being … for her senpai's concern. Fuji had removed his hand once Ryoma's back was turned. He beamed his trademark smile at Sakuno as his aura returned to the original calming one.

Sakuno cut in before Fuji voiced his excuses for his actions, "_Ano ne_, Fuji-senpai, thank you for wanting to help Ryoma and I. But it is alright, lets let this run its natural course. Because, Fuji-senpai," Sakuno turned to look him in the eye, her long hair swept along her back and fell like silk beside her oval face," some things are worth waiting for, _ne_?" Sakuno gave him a gentle smile.

Fuji took a while to study her, then suddenly said, "_Ne_, Sakuno-chan, are you wearing special contact lenses? They do make your eyes very pretty."

Sakuno caught her breath. Fuji could remember her eyes from before? She had anticipated such a question from closer friends like Tomoka, but Fuji-senpai? Fuji whom she seldom talked to before her Change and whom she both feared and kept a respectful distance from?

To be honest, the gold specks in her eyes couldn't be seen unless a person stood close enough, so their current positions might be in Fuji's advantage. But to think tensai Fuji would question her and at the same time hand her a ready excuse, it spelt the works of someone with a really complex mind.

Then again, she recalled how Mayu had shot down the contact lens excuse, "Don't use that, it is very easy to tell if a person is wearing contact lenses. Anyway, it's more tedious to maintain that excuse, since you won't be doing all the maintenance or buying any solutions and stuff. Let's just stick to the basics, you were born with them, and no one noticed because you were so terribly shy and never looked at people directly."

She really shouldn't underestimate the tensai of Seigaku. Thankfully her excuses had all been thought out before hand, so she was able to reply her senpai as calmly as his aura. No, she wasn't wearing contact lenses. Her eyes were like that since she was born; no one noticed because she was so shy, she seldom looked directly at people. The gold only showed when light shone at a particular angle anyway.

"_Souka_," Fuji smiled at her explanation and looked away for a while before he answered philosophically," _Tokorode_, Sakuno-chan, things that run their natural courses can take very, very long. I will enjoy clearing the path now and then, to help nature find its way."

Having recovered from the surprise, Sakuno could feel that Fuji meant only goodwill towards her, and she wondered briefly if perhaps Fuji was meant to be a part of the "natural course". That could explain the extraordinarily gifted boy spending his time here instead of at some distinguished university, that he was playing tennis instead of other sports, and that he was beside her at that point in time.

Sakuno had her own ideas on tempering with fate, especially after Mayu told her how witches and their powers were aligned with nature, and with the general cosmic workings. She should let things be, instead of trying to change what fate intended.

She had not forgotten the pranks and games the tensai indulged in. "On one condition, senpai: I don't want to get anyone into trouble, not Ryoma or any innocent bystanders."

The tensai quirked his lips," And yourself?"

Sakuno's smile shone bright as she replied," I have learned to take care of myself, Fuji-senpai. I am not worried for me, so you shouldn't either."

"Ah. You have become stronger as well as prettier. Sure you want to waste your time on that boy? I am still available, you know." Fuji teased Sakuno, delighting in her slight blush, and her charming demure.

"Mou, Fuji-senpai! You are such a tease!"

* * *

Ryoma was watching his senpai and Sakuno from afar. His senpai was so meddlesome! He refused to rise to the obvious bait dangled by Fuji. But still, he didn't feel good seeing those two laughing and talking together.

He quickly turned his back when he saw them coming towards him, pretending to adjust his racket.

Fuji was still smiling his devious smile and started to give a long speech on how dangerous the roads were for a pretty young woman to travel alone, how the police haven't yet caught the culprit for the recent series of kidnapping, etc, etc. And how Sakuno-chan was about to brave those streets on her own. Perhaps, Fuji should walk her home in case anything bad happened, even though Fuji lived on the other side of town, unlike Ryoma who lived quite near Sakuno-chan, he didn't mind escorting her home …

Ryoma volunteered for the task once his subconscious violently objected to the idea of Fuji and Sakuno alone for any amount of time. Hadn't Fuji already spent too much time with Sakuno just earlier? By the time the logical half of his brain caught up with his tongue, it was too late; Ryoma was stuck with the responsibility of seeing Sakuno home safely.

Fuji retreated to the locker room after manipulating Ryoma successfully. Ryoma was in two minds about the issue: he was alright with walking Sakuno home, but being maneuvered into doing so was making him piqued. With an inner sigh, Ryoma asked Sakuno to wait at the school gates while he packed up.

He kept staring daggers at his nosy senpai while he collected his stuff. It didn't help that Fuji's smile seemed a little wider than usual.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Disclaimer: No, I don't own PoT, sob**_

**

* * *

Chapter 17**

Sakuno was waiting patiently for Ryoma at the school gates when a tall boy with orange hair entered the school. He was carrying a tennis bag and dressed in school uniform, but not in Seigaku colors. The boy spotted her and a huge grin split his handsome face; he had came up to her, saying how lucky he was that day to see a pretty face like hers and proceeded to cajole her for a date.

Sakuno had already told the boy she was waiting for someone else, but he simply stayed put and kept talking to her. Sakuno was leaning against the wall, and the boy had leaned one hand on the wall near her shoulder.

The boy didn't feel malicious but he was much more insistent than her new classmates in pressing her to exchange phone numbers and going out on dates. She was having problems finding more ways to say "No", and even considered briefly if she could hypnotize him into leaving her alone. However, there were other students hanging around near them, so Sakuno had to rein in her exasperation and keep repeating her negative answers.

Ryoma was cursing Sengoku from 100 meters away, and hoping he would drop dead on the spot. Too bad the lucky tennis player, and avid womanizer, kept standing very near, too near, Sakuno and refused to cooperate with Ryoma's silent petition.

Once he was within earshot, he doubled his efforts to call down lightning to strike Sengoku where he stood. Lucky Sengoku was prattling on about how "lucky" he was to see such a pretty girl as Sakuno, and how he would be more "lucky" if she would go on a date with him. Ryoma's only consolation was that Sakuno was repeatedly refusing the guy.

He drawled as he approached the pair, " Ne, Sengoku-san, have you lost your way?" He purposely stopped at Sakuno's side and spoke to her, "_Omatase_."

"_Iie_, Ryoma-kun," Sakuno was glad to see Ryoma. Perhaps he could get the stranger to stop asking her out. Ryoma apparently knew that guy.

Ryoma was staring at Sengoku, his catlike eyes bright with challenge. His stance was relaxed but he had stepped in front of Sakuno.

Sengoku shifted his attention to the Seigaku boy wonder, and then stepped back from Sakuno. He could take a (heavy-handed) hint when he saw one. "Warui, warui. I mean no harm. Saa, I'll just go visit Omoshiro-kun and the others now." Sengoku exaggeratedly spread both hands before himself, backing away as he made his excuses, and winking cheekily at Sakuno at the same time. "Your friend? He's really lucky."

"Che. Go ahead, they are still at the courts," Ryoma muttered dismissively before addressing Sakuno again, "Ikou."

Sakuno followed Ryoma out the gates, happy to be rid of the orange-haired Sengoku.

Ryoma didn't say anything else once they left the school gates, and Sakuno could tell he was bothered by something. Wanting to take his mind of whatever it was, she started asking his opinion about their new school and his new tennis team.

Ryoma answered her questions in short sentences, not because he was impatient with those trivialities, but because he couldn't figure out what else to say besides the basic facts.

He was bothered by how he felt and how he reacted when he saw Sengoku standing so near Sakuno. He couldn't figure out how Sakuno could still talk cheerfully after that incident. Was she already like that before? Was she this carefree and this cheerful? Ryoma would have thought Sakuno was a very quiet girl, who would be embarrassed into further silence by Sengoku's attentions.

In the face of evidence, Ryoma decided that Ryuuzaki Sakuno had changed. She was not the same girl whom he remembered wearing his jersey on a cold evening, and looking absolutely cute in it. He had held on to that image for too long not to feel something for that Sakuno in his mind. But this Sakuno walking beside him was, well, different. He was going to have to reevaluate his feelings for this real person who was so different from 2 years ago.

And that reminded him. "What happened to you at the end of the first year in junior high? You suddenly stopped coming to school." Ryoma interrupted Sakuno as she was commenting on how nearly all the old senpais were here at the senior high too.

"Ah, ano … I had to go stay with my aunt in Osaka. Gomen, it was an emergency, I didn't have time to tell anyone about it." Sakuno was glad she had prepared an answer to just such a question.

"_Souka. Iiyo, betsuni_. I was just wondering," Ryoma was thinking she didn't have to go for two long years, but couldn't bring himself to voice the grouse.

"Thanks for asking though." Sakuno was glad he steered the conversation to her two years' absence, since she still haven't found out what happened to him in between then and now. "Did our team win that year?"

"Aa."

Sakuno was not discouraged by his short answer, she was also observing his facial expressions as he answered, hence she could glean that he didn't think much of winning that tournament. Further enquires revealed that they won for the following two years as well.

She kept on asking the questions she wanted answers to, asking them in different ways, and breaking up long questions to wheedle more words from Ryoma.

By the time they reached her house, she had a fairly good idea of the events during her absence from Ryoma's perspective. And that was most important to her. For example, she was not surprised that he made Buchou in his third year, and that he seemed to think it was more trouble than it was worth. She wondered if he knew there was a hint of pride in his voice when he told her that.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer: No, I don't own PoT, sob**_

**

* * *

Chapter 18 **

Sakuno thanked Ryoma for sending her home, and stood on the doorstep, watching him leave. As she turned around, she directed the door to "Open". Stepping through, she asked it to close behind her.

Her grandmother had not returned yet, which meant she could practice a little magic around the house for a bit. Sakuno was already used to living in a magical household, she could and would use her magic to perform everyday. But Sumire was not used to seeing things flying around the house, doors suddenly opening and pots and pans washing themselves in the sink. As such, they had an agreement: Sakuno would use her magic when Sumire wasn't around, at least for the time being, until Sumire got used to her granddaughter's power. Sumire did concede that not having to clean the house manually was an advantage of the magic.

Sakuno studied the contents of the refrigerator as she decided what to cook for their dinner. The ingredients flew out one by one and started washing and chopping themselves at the sink. A pot filled itself half full of water and went to sit on the stove, seconds before the stove lit itself up. Rice was washed and set to cook.

Mayu had taught her many culinary skills, since even witches had to eat. Dishes that Sakuno could cook using her hands, she could replicate the method to reproduce the dish. Sumire had a problem watching vegetables get chopped up and meat get marinated all of their own accord.

Sakuno once tried to conjure the finished dishes out of thin air, but discovered that food had to be worked for or paid for; otherwise it would not fill her stomach. The transfer spell was also not useful in this instance, since she didn't want to take away someone else's dinner.

While the kitchen was filled with happy sounds of utensils and cutlery, Sakuno took a hot shower then started on her magic practice. She reflected on the guidelines and was happy to find that she was upholding the reputation of Ryuuzaki witches pretty well. She had made so many new friends at her first day of school, compliments to her aunt for remaking the shy Sakuno. Life back in Tokyo was looking right peachy.

Moving on to actual practice, Sakuno opened several notebooks containing spells she had copied from her aunt. She was currently trying to master a Sight spell, one that could help her see what was happening then anywhere on the earth. More practice would ensure that she could control the spell better and use up less energy casting it in future.

She had started on this before she left Osaka, and back there, her aunt's method for her training was to let Kurokuro out of the house and ask Sakuno to find him. Normal people should not feel it when they were being Sighted, but magical entities could. In Sakuno's mind, every time she finally found Kurokuro, the cat would hiss irritably in her direction, protesting the invasion of his privacy.

Now that she was back in Tokyo she was tempted to Sight Kurokuro, the spoilt familiar belonging to her aunt, one more time, just to see how he was doing. The cat really wasn't that scary after she got to know him. Two years together had taught her almost all of the feline's quirks. She tried to remember if there was any thing in the house that she could transfer to Kurokuro, to appease the feline for being her Sight target. Ah, she had some cherry flavored sweets. Kurokuro had a weakness for cherries and cherry-flavored anything.

Mayu once gave him a cherry-flavored mouse-shaped chew toy, which Kurokuro grudgingly played with. He loved cherry, but Kurokuro was way, way above chasing and eating mice. He was a witch's familiar, and he deserved better respect, especially from said witch. Apparently he told Mayu exactly that, and Mayu had laughed when relating the conversation to Sakuno. Kurokuro had gotten rid of the toy almost as soon as the flavor was gone.

Sakuno stood in the middle of her room, raising her arms out in front of her, closing her eyes but opening her other senses as she sought the faraway place in Osaka. In her mind, she was flying over Tokyo, seeing buildings fly past far below her as though she was a bird. There was Osaka, and there was Mayu's house. She looked around outside and on the roof, not seeing Kurokuro anywhere. She was reluctant to enter the house, for surely Mayu could feel her if she did, and it was rather rude to enter people's houses without permission, even if she was only there in spirit.

Just as she was hesitating, she saw her aunt bend out of the 2nd storey window and wave at the sky. Sakuno smiled. So, Mayu already knew she was there. Sakuno looked in through the 2nd storey window to find her aunt busy mixing up one of her potions in her large workroom and Kurokuro was just being lazy on the couch. Laughing, Sakuno transferred the sweets onto the coffee table in front of the couch. Kurokuro looked towards her, suitably annoyed at having his nap disturbed then pounced on the sweets, rudely turning away from the window. Sakuno laughed again when she saw his tail wave happily as he started on the treats.

Mayu saw the present to her cat and smiled towards the window. Mayu weaved her hands in the air, in the pattern for the transfer spell, and then blew a kiss towards the open window. Sakuno then withdrew from the house she had gotten to know so well, and returned to her self. On a guess, she went down to check the cookie jar Mayu gave her as a 'graduation present', together with several cookie recipes. Sure enough, there were fresh chocolate chip cookies in there straight from her aunt's kitchen.

Smiling to herself, Sakuno took a cookie and sat down to enjoy it at the kitchen table.

One evening two years back, she was doing this same thing in this same spot.

She fondly recalled her stay in Osaka. Her aunt was very kind to her, and taught her many things. Sakuno also had access to many books on magic and magic usage. It was the books that got her all hyped up about trying out new spells. Her aunt could only teach her simple spells that were useful around the house, but the books held much greater treasures.

Mayu was not ambitious in her craft so she never tried the more complicated spells, she also suspected her meager power was not capable of handling those spells. But Sakuno was different. Sakuno could learn and control the higher level spells. Mayu didn't encourage Sakuno to master those spells, for most of them were destructive ones, but she didn't discourage her from exploring her gift either.

All Mayu said was, "Power attracts power. Be aware of what you are doing. And always be very careful not to hurt yourself or others." And Sakuno dutifully paid heed to her words.

Sakuno was so caught up in her reflections, she didn't recover until dinner was done, and the finished dishes were plunking down in front of her.

Checking the clock, she saw that her Obaa-chan would be coming back soon. She quickly set the dirty utensils to wash and arranged the dinnerware properly. Just as the pots were settling back on their shelves, all clean and dry, Sumire's voice rang out from the entryway, Sakuno called out a greeting on her return.

Then, the family of two sat down to enjoy the well-prepared dinner with fresh cookies to follow, chatting throughout about Sakuno's new school and Sumire's students.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer: No, I don't own PoT, sob**_

**

* * *

Chapter 19 **

When Ryoma got home, his father pestered him for a game. Since he hadn't played much that day at school, he didn't mind complying. But Nanjiroh wasn't playing seriously against him, and Ryoma was thoroughly frustrated by the time the match ended at 7-4 in Nanjiroh's favor.

Ryoma went to his room to sulk. His cat followed him to keep him company.

As he studied the cracks in his ceiling, Sakuno came to his mind. At fifteen, Ryoma was as lost about relationships as when he was twelve. He knew that Sakuno bothered him, and that he didn't like other people paying her too much attention. But what did that mean?

Well, logically speaking, he must care for her. There was a surge of panic as he thought about that, a sudden tightening of his chest and a very uncomfortable feeling of being suspended with nothing but a lot of empty space under the soles of his feet.

Ryoma recalled Sakuno at twelve: twin braids, poor tennis player, painfully shy, always blushing, terribly easy to tease, always there at his games or matches although she seldom made loud noises like her friend did.

She looked cute when she blushed. She looked cute when she was wearing his jersey.

So, Ryoma reaffirmed that the Sakuno two years ago was cute.

Then he tried to think of the pretty girl he walked home with earlier. Sakuno at fifteen: long soft-looking hair, beautiful eyes, more open and friendly, cute smile, talked a lot more but he didn't mind as long as she spoke in that soft, melodious voice, more confident, was missing for two years but turned up at the courts when he played earlier that afternoon, very attractive.

Very attractive? Well, yes. He recalled the many guys who approached her in class and in the corridors; he recalled Fuji and Sengoku. Although he knew he could dismiss Fuji since the tensai was probably just trying to raise his hackles. Some senpais were really annoying.

Ryoma could admit that he was rather displeased to see Sakuno with Fuji, after all Fuji was a dangerous character. Even those who knew him well wouldn't be spared from his sadistic pranks. It was highly recommended that people stayed away from Fuji.

What about the other guys? Ryoma didn't like seeing any of them.

'Lucky' Sengoku was always surrounded by girls, and wasn't that a testament to his flamboyant nature? Hence innocent girls like Sakuno should stay well away from him.

And what about the miscellaneous male students who surrounded Sakuno in school all the time? Well, they were too noisy. They shouldn't block corridors and make scenes in the classroom. Hence they should stop gathering around Sakuno.

Having thought out perfectly good reasons for being irked at those other boys, Ryoma reflected that perhaps he did care about Sakuno.But in a platonic way not as in 'like', or, _cringe_, 'love'. That was an alien four-letter word.

Phew! Thankfully he only cared about her like he cared about….the trio? Hmm, actually, he didn't give that big a damn about the trio even though they were all regulars at some point. Horio finally made it into the regular team in his graduation year, Katsuo and Kachiro had qualified towards the end of their second year.

How about comparing with Momo-senpai? Hmm, he had never felt he had a say in Momoshiro's choice of friends. He simply tolerated or ignored them; and never felt compelled to keep Momoshiro away from even the really weird ones like those two who used to play for Fudomine.

Ryoma fell asleep still trying to justify his feelings for Sakuno, and remained in bed until his father ceremoniously woke him up for dinner by hitting a gong right next to his tender ears.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer: No, I don't own PoT, sob**_

**

* * *

Chapter 20 **

He still hadn't sorted out his feelings by the next day, or the next, or the next's next.

One week after school started, the freshmen were having lessons proper. Ryoma thought that homework and assignments would keep the miscellaneous male students busy and away from Sakuno. No such luck.

One month after school started, the hordes of male students around Sakuno still did not decrease. To his consternation, more and more boys were interested in Sakuno, from the freshmen to the seniors. And she just maintained her sweet smile while gently refusing dates and various presents.

And all the while, Ryoma sulked. Day and night, he sulked.

Every day at school, he sat behind her and watched her smile at all those faces he didn't bother to get to know, or smile at him whenever she happened to turn around. He had lots of time to study her during lessons, but that didn't really help him sort out his thoughts, more of made him more confused actually.

Every day at school, he had to tolerate Horio's noises during lunch because of her. Sakuno ate with the loud cheerleader, and that loud cheerleader was Horio's girlfriend. Ryoma thought of not eating with the three of them but was worried Sakuno would be bothered by seniors during the lunch hour. And also Sakuno made delicious bentos, and always brought extra to share among the group. He preferred to think she did that for him because it made him felt strangely warm and soft inside.

And worst, Sakuno didn't come to tennis practice everyday. Most days she went straight home after school. Those few occasions that she did turn up to watch him practice, Fuji would monopolize her, all the time aiming his all-knowing, devious smile in Ryoma's direction.

But there was one good thing about his Fuji-senpai. He had made such a show of having Ryoma see Sakuno home after practice that first time, that Ryoma was fully expected to repeating the chore whenever Sakuno was there. Ryoma couldn't find it in him to complain about that.

On those few times they would be alone, and Ryoma would keep quiet unless Sakuno asked him questions, then he would answer in short sentences or avoid answering if he didn't like the question. Most of the time, he didn't know what to say to her.

He would be annoyed at himself, then annoyed at the other boys vying for her attention, and annoyed at her for not telling them to go away. He would be annoyed at the world, and then he would sulk.

Enough was enough. For his own sanity, he made up his mind to talk to her next time they were alone. She really should tell all those people to stay away from her.

* * *

Sakuno didn't know what was wrong with Ryoma. She could feel the heat of his emotions everyday in class, at lunch, and those times after tennis practice on the way to her house. The warm red aura tinged with black could be stress or frustration, or it could imply mental, physical or emotional exhaustion. She couldn't figure out which, and he wasn't helping by avoiding her questions. 

She wondered if she had offended him somehow. Maybe he didn't like her cooking. But then again, he never complained when she and Tomoka asked him along for lunch. That's right, she had finally met up with Tomoka, who cried and hugged her, making quite a scene right in the corridor. She kept saying how happy she was to have Sakuno back. Trying to ignore the prick on her conscience, Sakuno gave all her excuses and was quietly pleased that Tomoka readily accepted her words.

The two girls then made a longstanding lunch date and Tomoka decided to invite both Horio and Ryoma to join them. Sakuno was so glad that Ryoma agreed when they asked him. Since then, the two girls make enough food for four people everyday. They share all the food, but essentially Tomoka packed for her boyfriend, Horio, while Sakuno prepared Ryoma's share. Maybe Ryoma could tell she didn't actually make the bentos with her physical hands …

Maybe it was because she didn't go to tennis practice everyday. It wasn't because she was no longer interested in watching him play, but she had her own training to do. These days, Sakuno spent most afternoons at home working on her spells before her grandmother came back.

She did try to watch the tennis team practice at least once a week, and she always enjoyed talking to Fuji-senpai who kept her company whenever he wasn't playing. Sakuno still felt grateful to Fuji, although he did keep taunting Ryoma all the time. She wished he didn't do that. Afterwards, when Ryoma walked her home, he was always in a bad mood and wouldn't say much to her.

Enough was enough. It was time Sakuno put her foot down firmly. Tomorrow she would go watch tennis practice and firmly request Fuji to stop baiting Ryoma. Then she would ask Ryoma to walk her home. If she couldn't find out what was wrong with him on the way back, she would have to invite him in and make him stay put until she did.

* * *

A/N: Big Ryosaku fight coming up ... soon as my fingers can move again 


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**

A/N: This will be the last update for a while. You are going to find it kinda rushed, well, because I _was_ kinda rushing –**_grin- _**lemme know what you think of the (sorta) ending.

**

* * *

Chapter 21 **

It was a beautiful Friday morning.

Sakuno was planning what to say to Ryoma later in the afternoon as she strolled to school. She had already thought of a politely worded "Mind-your-own-business" speech to Fuji while she ate her breakfast and watched as her lunch was packed into two neat bento boxes. Now she was trying to make up her mind how best to approach Ryoma and make him talk about his problems.

She was still thinking as she shared the bentos with Tomoka, Horio and Ryoma at their usual spot, a sheltered table-and-bench set up on the rooftop, overlooking the tennis courts.

She was still thinking as she watched him win a series of matches against the second year tennis club members. Senpai-tachi were gathered to observe him as well, occasionally commenting on how his skills had improved. Fuji was with them the whole time, and only came up to her at the end of the practice session. She had to delay her speech to him then, since Ryoma was already getting ready to leave.

They were walking away from the courts when Sengoku appeared again. The orange haired youth popped by fairly regularly to disturb their Regular players, on the pretext of checking out his opponents. Sakuno was already used to chatting with him every time they met. Sengoku was really very friendly and kind, even if he sometimes had this creepy smile on his handsome face.

Sengoku flashed Sakuno a brilliant smile and asked after her, basically ignoring Ryoma who had to wait while they talked.

Sakuno spent the next 5 mins chatting with the "enemy" while Ryoma seethed.

* * *

She had been constantly surrounded by the dratted Miscellaneous Male Students (MMS) since morning. And he didn't get to talk to her privately during lunch, what with Horio and his girlfriend there as well. 

Then it was tennis practice, and he enjoyed the break from thinking about her and the MMS. However, his pleasant mood was disrupted almost as soon as he left the courts, at the appearance of Sengoku.

Ryoma wondered how the rival school tennis player could walk in and out of his school at leisure. He was obviously dressed in some other school's uniform, but no one stopped him coming into Seigaku. Did no one other than him notice that Sengoku was a trespasser?

And Sengoku just had to talk to Sakuno, while Sakuno had to entertain him. Ryoma was extremely displeased.

When they finally got away from the Lucky Tennis player, Ryoma spent most of the trip fuming and ignoring Sakuno. All the MMS were coming back to haunt him, giving him an inexplicable burning sensation all over his body.

* * *

She stopped trying after the third time. Ryoma seemed to be angry at something and wasn't answering even the most innocent of questions. Which was strange, since he had just won quite a few matches during practice. Sakuno didn't feel this hot heat coming from him during lunch either, at least she didn't think so; she was really distracted thinking of how to talk to Ryoma. 

Ryoma was walking faster today instead of matching his pace to hers, making her rather tired trying to catch up.

_Mou_, what was wrong with him? Sakuno firmly believed that burdens shared were burdens halved; she was hoping Ryoma could understand that, too.

They walked in silence while Sakuno tried to figure out how to get him into the house for her questioning. Much too soon, they were standing at her doorstep. When she saw that Ryoma was about to stalk away, she quickly caught his elbow to make him stay.

"If it's alright, can you come in for a while?"

"What for?" was the snapped reply, as he shrugged off her hand.

"I think we need to talk. You look like you have been troubled by something for a long time. I want to help. Tell me what I can do." Sakuno sent him a beseeching look.

Oh, that. Exactly what he wanted to talk to her about, only he had forgotten while he was fuming. He turned back, feeling the fire of righteousness burning in his veins.

"Plenty of things you can do; you can stay away from our classmates, you can stop entertaining Sengoku every time, you can stop chatting to guys in the corridors, and while you are at it, you can also stop talking to Fuji-senpai!" He paused to breathe, glaring at her fiercely.

Sakuno was confused; where did that tirade come from? Ryoma was angry because of what? It made no sense to her that he would be angry because she was talking to their classmates.

"You want me to stay away from our classmates? But, Ryoma-kun ……" Sakuno looked put on the spot.

A sudden thought struck Ryoma; maybe she enjoyed talking to all the MMS. Maybe she liked having them surround her. The idea was ludicrous, but why else would she look so reluctant? Ryoma's heart chilled. The heat left his body in a rush. Somewhat deflated, he said in a much lower voice," You like them? All of them? But that's ……" He searched for a word but couldn't think of any.

He raised desolate eyes to hers and whispered," I didn't know you had such loose morals…"

Sakuno's mind was busy processing the unexpected outburst from Ryoma when she caught as unfavorable term. She froze, mind and body.

_Did he say "loose morals"? Who, me?_

Various emotions assailed her all in the space of one second. Confusion. Exasperation. Shock. Uncertainty. Bewilderment. Grievance. Affront. Resentment. Dejection. Sorrow.

Angry tears spewed. She took a step forward and slapped him tight across his cheek, holding herself rigidly for a scant moment before fleeing into her house. The door opened and shut at her silent command.

However, that little detail escaped Ryoma.

He was in severe shock; he stood dumbly holding his cheek and staring at Sakuno's retreating back. A horrible feeling was creeping into him; it was the kind people got in between unwittingly committing a grievous mistake and getting into really serious trouble. It was akin to enlightenment, but in the opposite vertical direction.

She was crying. Sakuno was crying, before she did that to him.

He shook off the shock and shot forward to pound on her door, anxiously calling her given name. "Sakuno! Sakuno, open up! Sakuno!"

She didn't come to the door, didn't shout for him to go away. The house loomed in forbidding silence, daring him to continue disturbing its inhabitants.

He rested his forehead on the smooth wooden surface as he tried to get a grip on his confused mind. After a while, he resignedly left her house, still feeling lost.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**

**

* * *

Chapter 22 **

Sakuno ignored the noise he was making outside her door. She didn't want to see him right now. She needed some time alone, to sort out what had just taken place outside her house.

There was so much going on in her mind, in her heart, that she couldn't really pay attention to what she was doing. Running on auto mode, she went through all the motions of putting her things away then setting up in the kitchen. She had to rub away her tears more than a few times while she worked.

The pots and pans floated through the air more slowly than usual. The ingredients from the refrigerator were cleaned and prepared in sullen, jerky movements.

Leaving the usually lively preparations to their own devices, she retreated upstairs and ran a hot bath, adding a few drops of the chamomile essence her aunt gave her as a present. She tried to think while she soaked, but ended up crying harder, sobbing till she had problems breathing.

She hadn't cried for a long time. She used to do that a lot, small things used to make her cry buckets all the time. But that was before she found out she was the most powerful Ryuuzaki witch alive, probably even the most powerful witch in Japan since such people were rare in these modern times. Facts like that could really bolster one's confidence, and it did for her.

She had her craft, and she was proud of it, of herself. The knowledge kept her from shying away from people, kept her from feeling small in front of them and kept her alive, vivaciously alive.

So she hadn't had a reason to cry in a long time. Until today. Until Ryoma called her by that horrible term she didn't deserve. No, she didn't deserve that. She hadn't done anything to deserve that.

Her tears kept flowing hot and fast, while her bath water gradually cooled.

That was how Sumire found her when she got in sometime later. Sakuno was sitting in cold water and hiccupping from crying so hard. She had run out of tears, but there were obvious water stains on her cheeks. She allowed herself to be dried and bundled up by her worried grandmother, but it was obvious she wasn't really there at all.

Sumire pampered her until she came back to life, bit by little bit. Then she cried more while relating her story. Sumire brought her into the kitchen and started talking to her while urging her to eat.

She said that everybody had faced relationship problems at some point in their lives. If they were lucky, they learned about it from others before they faced the same predicaments. If they were luckier, they learned how to deal with it the hard way.

She claimed that boys like Ryoma needed more time to understand and learn. All Sakuno needed was patience, and even the most hardheaded male would come around on his own in time.

Sumire advised her granddaughter to give space to Ryoma while he was figuring himself out, let him come to her instead of her crowding him. Let him work for it so he would treasure her more.

All through dinner, Sakuno was still very upset; she couldn't properly process the logic behind her grandmother's words. But she was too lost to know what to do, so agreed to follow her advice for a while at least.

That night, Sakuno couldn't sleep because her heart was aching so.

* * *

Once he reached his home, he went straight up to his room and fell into bed, not caring that he was all sweaty from practice. Karupin snuggled on his stomach; Ryoma stroked his cat absently as he stared hard at his ceiling. 

Just what had he done? He knew things had gone horribly wrong; he had made a disastrous move.

He was too harsh on her, he thought. His anger had slowly built up and unleashed all at once on Sakuno. He shouldn't have done that. He recalled how painfully shy she used to be, how the slightest thing could make her terribly embarrassed or cry buckets, and how weak she was.

No matter that she had changed her appearance, no matter that she had become more socially adept than he would ever be; she was still a weak female.

He shouldn't have made her cry. Her eyes were so sad; he had experienced a strange constriction in his chest when the tears spilt out His cheek still burned where her hand had connected, but his chest hurt more. Why?

_Why? Sakuno, why? He didn't know himself anymore._


	23. Chapter 23

_**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 23**

He had spent the whole weekend alternately blaming himself and blaming her for the situation they were in. Today was the first time they would meet since last Friday; he stepped into class swamped in trepidation.

She was already at her seat, but she wasn't surrounded by the MMS, which was a conspicuous deviation from the usual routine.

He kept silent as he walked past her to his seat. She did not even glance at him.

She kept very quiet that day. When their classmates approached her, she smiled and asked to be left alone, pleading she was unwell but refusing a visit to the school nurse. A viable excuse, since she looked pale and drawn, as though she hadn't been resting properly. Ryoma didn't try to talk to her, not knowing what he could say, but he felt miserable when he saw her poor state of health.

They kept their lunch date with Horio and his girlfriend, but she didn't chat as usual to her friend, still giving the same excuses. While he was glad to see her eat, he had to work very hard to get food past the knot in his own throat.

She didn't go to the courts that day. Or the next. Or the following day.

Ryoma had hoped against hope that she would turn up during practice, so he could walk her home and try to salvage the situation on the way. He still wasn't convinced he was the only one in the wrong, what they needed to do was talk it out the way proper, mature adults do. He didn't think he needed to give in and bow to her since she had played a huge part in all their current problems.

Every day, she kept to herself whenever possible and didn't talk very much even when friends asked after her.

And she didn't say a single word to him.

It had been a week; she hadn't spoken to him for an entire week. They kept up with the lunch date, although by now, even her loud friend had figured out something was wrong. Lunch hours were spent in high tension, with both Horio and his girlfriend shooting accusing looks at him whenever they weren't studying Sakuno in concern.

He ignored them; he didn't need anyone else picking on his conscience, he did a good enough job himself.

Sunday, he spent morning hitting balls against the wall, then went for a walk in the afternoon, to get away from his baka Oyaji, and ended up outside the Ryuuzaki residence. He didn't dare knock, not only because he still didn't know what to tell her, but also because the Obaasan might not take kindly to anyone who made her granddaughter cry, not even one of her favorite Tennis Club ex-Buchous. Night fell and found him back in his room, concentrating on the fine lines in his ceiling.

This was not helping matters, her keeping quiet and him not facing the issue.

Did he have to apologize? _Yes!_ An inner voice called out.

But why him? Didn't she have anything to do with the cause as well? _But she didn't make rude comments on your morals!_

Okay, so maybe he went a little overboard when he questioned her virtue, but she looked so reluctant to get rid of the MMS ….. _But they were her classmates, her friends! They were supposed to be his classmates, his friends, too, if he bothered to get to know them._

Ryoma sighed wholeheartedly. Girls were just so much unwanted trouble. Naturally, Sakuno was too, perhaps even more than the average female.

Although he couldn't decide if she was more trouble now or two years back.

He recalled being tricked into giving her free tennis lessons, being forced to bring her to restring her racket, being teased by his senpai-tachi about her. But that was then.

This was now. Now, she was attracting too much attention from the guys in and around school. That had to be her fault! Why did she have to become so pretty? Where did she learn how to talk to people like that? All that had to be her fault.

He tried not to think that he liked her pretty, that he liked her less shy than before.

But he did, and on both counts.

He still held fondly the image of a younger Sakuno wearing his jersey and with her hair done in neat braids. But he also liked what he saw when he could look straight ahead during classes and watch her without reservations.

He thought he had feelings for the younger Sakuno, the two years she was gone, he often thought of her. Did he have feelings for the Sakuno now, too?

Mentally, he overlapped the two images of Sakuno. The younger one with braids, the older one with her hair blowing in the wind. The younger one was so shy, the older one was more confident. So thinking, he realized that Sakuno only improved on herself. If he thought he cared for the younger Sakuno, shouldn't he care for the new and improved version as well?

Perhaps he did. Yes, he did. There, he had admitted to himself that he liked Sakuno, whichever way she was. Now, all he had to do was get her to talk to him again.

He thought of a million ways to coax her out of her silence, then scratched those and thought of another million ways to get her to forgive him for accusing her of loose morals. He could tell her that he didn't mind even if she had loose morals, no, wait! That was only digging deeper into his own grave.

Maybe he could just, very simply, tell her "I'm sorry" and let her take that whichever way she wanted. That sounded easy and plausible.

Good. Now all he had to do was find a way to get her alone, because no way was Echizen Ryoma going to apologize to Ryuuzaki Sakuno in front of the school population.


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 24**

He spent quite some time trying to decide how best to carry out his plans. The "getting her alone" part was proving very difficult to handle. It would have been tough when she was ignoring him like the week before. But it got worse.

When he got to school on Monday, Sakuno was still keeping quiet but she had started to take on a hostile air around him. She was still not talking, but more of making a point not to speak to him than simply ignoring him.

He felt himself sink deeper into the grave he dug, and was completely at a lost what to do. He didn't even dare approach her, what with the anger he could see bristling in her every move. He knew, because he couldn't stop watching her in class.

He still hadn't formed a feasible plan to get her alone, so he could drop the apology at her feet. And the way things were going, it would be a very long time before he could find one and implement it.

Ryoma was one miserable teenager.

* * *

Sakuno had a lot of time to think over the week following that scene on her doorstep. Just to prove she could, she did everything she could remember he asked of her: not talk to classmates, not talk to people in the corridor, not talk to Sengoku-san and not talk to Fuji-senpai. All that "not talking" gave her a lot of time on her own to think through the problems she was facing.

And almost as soon as she got over her sorrow at Ryoma thinking that poorly of her, she doubly resented at being called a girl of "loose morals". That was almost as traumatizing as being called a trollop, differing only by scant degrees. A girl's virtue was her most important possession. Shading doubt on her virtue was equivalent to casting her to the lowest ranks in society.

And if that was an insult to Ryuuzaki Sakuno the student, it was many more times as grave an insult to Ryuuzaki Sakuno the witch.

Her talking to her friends rendered her as that? She was only appreciating the freedom of making new friends! She had dropped the STAND OUT test on herself very long ago, when she realized that STANDING OUT helped, but was not everything when it came to forming relationships. These days, she was just happy that she could freely offer and accept friendship from people; because she wasn't going to go away, she could commit to friends.

And didn't he notice she made a lot of female friends as well? And who was he to complain? Who was the one who had half the school population, the female half of course, as a personal fan following since age twelve?

The more time she had to think, the angrier she got.

_Ryoma no baka!_

* * *

-Midweek, in the Tennis club locker room-

"What's wrong with Ochibi-chan nya? He's been looking sad and distracted for such a long time. Ne, Fuji? Do you know what happened to him?"

"Saa ……"

"Data shows that there is a 100 per cent chance he will recover on Friday."

"Nani, Inui? Friday? Why Friday? Nya, Fujiko, do you know? Why Friday?"

"Saa ……"

The tensai's smile widened; light reflected off the data tennis player's glasses ominously. Kikumaru got a chill up his spine and quickly ran from the locker room to find his doubles partner. Maybe Oishi would know what was going on.

* * *

Friday came and a chain of fateful events unfolded. 


	25. Chapter 25

_**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 25**

-Friday, night-

Ryoma woke up by degrees. His head felt like it had a rock band playing between his ears, his mouth felt like it was packed with cotton, and pretty weird-tasting cotton at that. He was lying on something smooth and a little hard; that ruled out his bed, which was a comfortable haven he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life in if his baka Oyaji could leave him alone for that long.

If he wasn't in bed, where was he? He couldn't hear anything for the constant throbbing in his head. Still woozy, he peeled open both eyes slowly, and quickly shut them tight again. He didn't see much, just a lot of darkness, but the darkness was swirling and making him dizzy.

He threw an arm over his eyes, trying to get rid of the spiraling movement of nothingness that he could still see even with his eyes closed.

Reaching out with the other arm, he patted the area to his side, trying to find out what he was lying on. It felt like rough plastic, a little hard when he tried to press down on it. Unable to deduce what it was, he reached out further. And his questing fingers encountered warm, soft flesh.

That got him wide-awake quick as a shot! He sat up, trying to ignore the heaviness in his head as he backed away from the unknown being beside him. It was so dark he couldn't see who or what it was. He tried to listen hard for human sounds, like breathing or something, but he couldn't detect anything. Ryoma had a heart-stopping moment when he wondered if it was a corpse. Someone was DEAD and lying beside him!

Ryoma was all confused and not just a little panicked. He tried to remember how he got here, to this dark place somewhere and lying beside someone or something he didn't know. Now that he was trying to recall the events before then, the strange taste left on his tongue quickly reminded him.

He remembered the bottled drink Fuji passed to him after practice; he had seen through the clear plastic that it was colorless and he had assumed it was just water. Then he had gulped it down in his thirst, only realizing after the third swallow that the liquid tasted somewhat off for plain water. Just as he was thinking that he suddenly felt weak in the knees and his vision had gone black. Thinking back, Ryoma would lay down money that it was another Inui concoction, an innocent looking one that was colorless but potent. He mentally scribbled a sarcastic note to himself to compliment Inui on his latest achievement.

This was no time to be thinking of ways to get back on the two scheming senpai. Ryoma thought hard about how to get out of his current predicament.

Cautiously reaching out his hands to explore around him, very cautiously in case he felt another dead being near him, he tried to see if there was anything useful on the surface he was sitting on. There, what was that? It felt cold, heavy and was a cylindrical shape. He took hold of it and tried to identify it by feel. There was a gurgle as he picked it up which made it feel like water. Holding the object in both hands, he discovered that it was a bottle of water; he could distinctly feel the cap that could be twisted off.

Why was there a bottle of water in the middle of a very dark space where he was, definitely, dumped by his senpai-tachi after they knocked him unconscious with a homemade mixture that would most probably make the toxic chemical list if authorities found out about it?

Setting the water down near his knee, he reached out again to the area he found it in. This time, he knocked down something that hit the ground with a muted thud. Quickly reaching forward to catch hold of the object before it rolled away or something, Ryoma found out by the tips of his fingers that he was most probably holding a battery torch. He flicked the switch to see it worked. It did, sending a beam of welcome light through the heavy darkness.

Glad that he could now actually see anything, Ryoma quickly pointed the torch in the direction of the strange thing he felt earlier. His jaw dropped when he saw the soft and warm flesh he touched earlier belonged to none other than Ryuuzaki Sakuno.

Scrambling to her side in one quick movement, he hurriedly checked if she was still alive. She was still breathing, albeit taking really shallow, quiet breaths. Heaving a sigh of relief, Ryoma sat down beside her prone body and continued checking out their surroundings.

They were lying on a gym mattress on the floor of some kind of storeroom. He had no idea if they were still in Seigaku high school, but they were definitely near some kind of educational institution that used this room as storage for old gym equipment.

He saw a balance beam against one wall, and there were some old netball vests hanging off it. There were a few cages full of basketballs, soccer balls and volleyballs pushed into the corner, and more gym mattresses leaning against the wall beside the one they were on. It was a rather cramped space; their mattress took up all the limited floor space.

On a corner of the mattress near where he was, there were a few bottles of water and some bread and chocolate, which a certain tennis tensai probably left out of the goodness in his heart, Ryoma thought cynically.

After checking that Sakuno was still breathing, he got off the mattress and went to check out the door. It was well and truly locked, probably secured by chains and padlocks on the other side. He didn't think Fuji would leave out such details in his pranks. Just to try his luck, Ryoma pounded on the door for a while, but there was no answering call from the outside just as he expected. His torchlight picked out a narrow slotted ventilation window high above the door. There was no hope of getting out through that.

He checked his watch and saw that it was after 10pm. He had been out of it for about four hours. If they were still on campus, there would be no one around to let them out at this time of night.

There came a soft moan from behind him. Sakuno was waking up. Ryoma quickly went back to her side, careful not to point the torchlight into her eyes.

"_Daijoubu_?" He crouched down next to her, helping her to sit up.

"Aa? Ryoma?" Sakuno sounded surprised but she didn't sound frightened. Good, because Ryoma wouldn't know what to do with a hysterical female even in the best of circumstances. And they were hardly in privileged conditions at the moment.

Sakuno was looking around slowly and asked him worriedly, "_Koko, doko_? What happened to us?"

Well, he didn't have the answer to that! "Saa…."

He sat down beside her, resigned to spending a long night trapped in an unknown space, with the girl he cared for right next to him.

Put that way, it really didn't sound too bad.

Then he remembered that terrible fight he had started and because of that, Sakuno had been ignoring him for the past two weeks ………


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**

**

* * *

Chapter 26**

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Somebody was knocking on the door.

Bang! Bang!

She really should get up and open if for whoever it was.

Bang! Bang!

Ah, but her head really hurt. Her body felt really weak and she really couldn't get up at all.

The banging stopped. Guess whoever it was went away. Good, she could get back to sleep. She tried to turn onto her side, which was her usual sleeping position, but found that her limbs were not obeying her brain. Maybe it was because her head was in so much pain. She let out a moan, objecting to the heavy throbbing behind her eyes.

She heard footsteps coming toward her and struggled to sit up and see. She got a quick glance at a beam of light, before she had to close her eyes again. She couldn't really look at that until her eyes adjusted to the sudden influx of photons. The footfalls stopped beside her, and someone asked her if she was alright, in Ryoma's voice as he pulled her into a sitting position.

_Aa? Ryoma?_

Sakuno's eyes snapped open quickly this time, and searched for her prince's face in the poor illumination. She asked him where they were, but he didn't answer, just sat down beside her while he played the torchlight all over the room.

Sakuno's eyes followed the light, checking out their surroundings. She saw that Ryoma had just came from the direction of the door, and deduced that he was checking out the lock, and had tried to get the attention of anyone who might be outside. Guess he wasn't successful then. But why were they trapped here in the first place?

Getting rather confused, Sakuno tried to remember what she was doing there, with him. A sudden flash back brought Fuji to her mind. The tensai had asked to see her and bought her a drink, then ……

_Clearing the path for nature's course, eh, Fuji-senpai_. Sakuno thought of laying a curse on the tennis prodigy, but didn't want to stain her career by casting such vile and low-classed spells, not even for the deserving Fuji.

She then thought of undoing the lock with her magic, but realized that since Ryoma had already checked out that way of exit, she couldn't do that without explanations.

Sakuno wondered what Fuji hoped to achieve by throwing her and Ryoma together like this. Whatever he had planned for, he had better be ready for Ryoma to get truly angry at this latest stunt he pulled.

That reminded her. She was not happy with Ryoma at the moment. The blockhead still hadn't apologized to her for saying all those horrible things the other day. Suddenly filled with renewed anger as she recalled his words that time, Sakuno purposefully turned her back on Ryoma, not caring that it was childish behavior.

_Take that! You slimeball!_ She silently told him, hoping he could hear and that he would slowly decompose from her scorn.

* * *

Ryoma switched off the torch to conserve the battery, plunging them into abject darkness again. The mood suited him; he was dejected.

She was definitely still angry. He suspected as much, even if she didn't just turned away from him. Ryoma sighed inwardly. How was he to say he was sorry when she obviously didn't want to see him even when there were only the two of them stuck in this tomb-like space?

He wondered if things would have been easier if she was still the Sakuno from two years ago. That Sakuno would surely be frightened and dependent on him in such a situation. That Sakuno would have accepted his apology quick as can be, then all his problems would be over.

But then again, if it were that Sakuno, all the events of the past few weeks wouldn't have happened at all. If it were that Sakuno, she wouldn't be angry with him now because he said all those things about her in the heat of the moment then.

He reminded himself that he was dealing with the new Sakuno, the one whom he had finally decided was still a Sakuno he liked. The new Sakuno was rather more difficult to deal with, though.

_Sigh._ Ryoma was one troubled teenager.

Well, he meant to apologize anyway, and since he had her alone, even if he didn't get there by any of his own half-baked schemes, he should get it over and done with.

And if she wouldn't forgive him, then he would just go away and die slowly inside.

He wondered if she would be happier to watch him die; he wouldn't mind doing that if she would let up on him. He had barely been functioning over the last two weeks anyway, how much worse could death be? Let's see, how many ways were there to give your life in exchange for pardon? He slowly counted, concentrating on the entertainment value to ensure she relented; each method was more excruciating than the last, he gave an involuntary shudder.

They had been sitting quietly for almost an hour going by his watch. He couldn't even hear her breathing. Getting slightly worried, he turned on the torchlight again, and turned to watch her. She was hugging her knees and balancing her chin between them.

Clearing his throat nervously, he wondered how to start on his "apology".

"S-Sakuno, are you thirsty? Or hungry? There is some bread and water over there …." He put a hand on her shoulder when she didn't reply, and was shocked that her body felt cold to his touch. Concern leaped into his face, then annoyance that she didn't even tell him she was cold.

Ignoring her continued silence, he shrugged off his jersey and draped it over her shoulders. She startled and spun around to face him, as though suddenly realizing he was there.

Now he was really pissed. There had been only the two of them in this room after all, how could she have forgotten he was there, too? His anger made it into his voice as he spoke," Couldn't you have mentioned that you were cold? Are you trying to catch pneumonia or something?"

She was still looking shocked; her eyes were wide and kept looking left and right, her mouth opened slightly and in the poor light from the torch, he could see her face was bleached pale.

Damn, but she looked really scared. Ryoma pushed aside his anger and started all over on the concern that bloomed in his chest when he saw her like that. Getting onto his knees, he placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her lightly, "It's alright. I'm here with you. Don't worry, I am sure we can get out by --- _Ommph_!"

Ryoma was not prepared for the impact when Sakuno suddenly threw herself into his arms ……


	27. Chapter 27

_**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 27**

_Taihen.Totemo Taihen da._ Sakuno was worrying to herself as she studied the air above her.

Once Ryoma switched off the torchlight, Sakuno could see quite a lot of gauzy pale shapes floating about the room. Those were the essences of dead spirits who were trapped in the living world. Sakuno remembered reading about how spirits would gather at places where dark energies were strong, because these places were potential gates to the other world.

Unless she missed her guess, there was just such a spot somewhere near the ceiling of this room. Just for precaution, she quietly threw a Boundary spell over herself and Ryoma. The spirits would not be able to cross the Boundary even if they took it into their ethereal minds to try to possess herself or Ryoma.

She had never held up a spell for so long, she had no idea how long it was, but her body told her it was long enough. Her body heat had been channeled into the Boundary to hold it up, and she was feeling very cold, almost like the times when she was having Premonition dreams.

Bad time to recall that, she though wryly, looking around at the darkness she was trapped in. Maybe that was why it was called the Premonition dream; perhaps she was fated to face a similar situation sometime after her Change. Strange that Mayu never mentioned anything about such a connection.

She sat quietly hugging her knees, and concentrated on the Boundary protecting her and Ryoma from the spirits floating above and around them. It didn't take much magic to cast the spell, but holding it up for so long was another matter. Her magic was not diminished, but her physical conditions were deteriorating at an alarming rate.

Sakuno was trying to recall if there was a spell to get rid of the spirits. Exo-something, she remembered seeing something like that in one of the books Mayu inherited from a previous Ryuuzaki witch.

Oh dear, she needed to think harder, Exo-what? What was that word for chasing away spirits trapped in the living world? Exo-exo-exo, Exorcise! No, wait. That was for when the spirit had possessed a living person and taken over the human body. And that was for if any of the spirits around them managed to break through the Boundary. Not that she was going to sit back and let them have a chance.

She rolled her eyes around the room, a little worried that the spirits seemed overly interested in her Boundary and were gathered right outside, flitting this way and that all around them. She wondered belatedly if the spirits were attracted to her power, and wondered if she should have continued playing dead instead. How she wished Mayu was here to give some advice!

Now there was an idea! Perhaps if she called Osaka and asked her aunt for the spell ….. oh, she couldn't. She didn't have a mobile phone, and she knew Ryoma didn't bring his on school days. Anyway, Mayu and Kurokuro were out on one of their little expeditions somewhere far away from home; and she sincerely doubted her aunt would memorize spells that didn't help with the chores around the house. Her aunt was strange that way, even for a witch.

_Brr… _she was so cold. Sakuno put the Boundary spell to the back of her mind, and let her thoughts wander as she tried to forget about her freezing body.

Something fell onto her shoulders, shocking her out of her reverie. For a moment she could have sworn it was one of the spirits came to possess her. But no, it was only Ryoma, whom she had honestly forgotten about when she was holding up the Boundary spell.

The Boundary! The shock from Ryoma had broken her concentration on the spell and the Boundary was fading away! _Komarinatta_, now they were in trouble! Sakuno tried to see if the spirits were restless, but Ryoma had the torch on again and she couldn't distinguish the pale shapes she was looking for.

Ryoma was saying something else now, but she couldn't hear his words. She was too busy feeling cold and being absolutely terrified that some spirit would try to attack him.

Oh no, oh no. Was that a spirit coming at Ryoma from behind? She couldn't be sure, and Ryoma had starting to shake her shoulders for some obscure reason. Sakuno vaguely thought that he had better have a valid excuse for treating her like a rag doll, one that he would explain to her clearly while on his knees when they survived this night unscathed. _If_ they survived this night unscathed. And he still owed her an apology!

Sakuno was dimly aware that she was panicking, her brain felt like it was rattling around in her skull as Ryoma was still shaking her shoulders. In her terrified state, a spell suddenly flashed vividly in her mind. Or maybe Ryoma shook it out of her, she didn't know.

Exo-exo-EXODUS! The spell used to "invite" spirits to leave the mortal world by momentarily opening the dark gates. Good, there was definitely one of those above their heads, Sakuno cheered to herself.

_Yokatta!_ Now all she needed to do was weave her hands and chant the spell to clear the room of the spirits. _Iie_, she was ready to cast a spell to clear the entire Tokyo of pale gauzy shapes.

But she couldn't do the honorable thing in front of Ryoma, and certainly not with him shaking her like that. Oh dear, what was a witch to do? She wasn't ready to tell Ryoma about her magic; she didn't think Ryoma was ready to hear about it.

Maybe if she could get him to shut his eyes. _Iie_. Turn his back? _Iie_. But she could certainly do it behind his back ……

Sakuno didn't hesitate once she hit upon the solution. She reached her arms behind Ryoma and started the spell by weaving her hands in the proper formation. She leaned against Ryoma, letting him take some of her weight so she didn't need her arms to support her body. She couldn't see over his shoulder, but she didn't need to. Looking off to the side, she said the spell under her breath and threw it up on the last syllabus, aiming for the ceiling. She was gratified when the air burned stark white for a second, then revealed darkness empty of spirits.

Spent from the rite, she crumbled against Ryoma, her head resting on his chest, her arms folded loosely around him.


	28. Chapter 28

_**Disclaimer: I so very much wish I did, but I don't.**_

**

* * *

Chapter 28 **

Shell-shocked. Thunderstruck. Sweep off his feet, not that he was standing up to begin with. But he was really taken by surprise. And for a moment there, he even thought he saw a bright light fill the entire room.

Ryoma looked down at Sakuno whom he had instinctively caught in his arms when she threw herself against him. She was all cold and stiff for a while, and then had suddenly relaxed into his embrace. When his brain had thawed out from the shock, he thought once more that Sakuno was very difficult to understand. Wasn't she supposed to be angry with him?

Well, better not look a gift horse in the teeth, etc. The same thing happened all the time on the courts; when he spotted an advantage, he never hesitated to use it.

She felt very good against him, soft and fragrant. But she was so cold. He tightened his arms around her, wrapping her into his body heat. He remembered that time long ago, when he had woken up under a tree and beside a very, very cold Sakuno. She must be the kind who got colds easily; maybe next time he could buy her a jacket to wear. Or give her one of his old Regular jerseys; she did looked cute in his clothes.

After a good long time, he broke the silence, "Daijoubu ka?"

Sakuno was resting from her exertions, and finding Ryoma's body a veritable hot-water bottle, which was exactly what she needed. She was reluctant to stir. She thought idly to herself that if she didn't know what she did know, she would be screaming the roof down and calling him a pervert right about now. She didn't think she was so out of it that she imagined Ryoma holding her closer, tighter.

"Hai, just a little cold," she felt weak now that all that adrenaline burned off. She did manage to shift a little and tuck her cold arms between their bodies, holding Ryoma around his neck.

_Not just a little_, Ryoma thought when he felt her hands on the back of his neck. He shifted slightly so his back was against the upright mattresses, and asked Sakuno to move a little too. She leaned on him sideways, letting her hands drop to his shoulders. He had to prop one knee up to support her back and keep her there.

His jersey was within reach, dropped there when Sakuno spun around to face him earlier on. He pulled it over and covered her with it, then held her in his arms, jersey and all. Her head was tucked under his chin, and he could smell a clean, fragrant scent of shampoo. It was a most comfortable position to settle into.

"Better?"

"Hmm, arigatou."

There was a window of silence then Ryoma spoke up again," Ano, about the other day," he felt Sakuno stiffened and worrying that she would ignore him again, the rest of his words came out in a rush," Gomen! I was out of line! I'll never say such things again!"

Then, in a smaller voice, "Don't be angry. Please?"

Her cheek against his chest, Sakuno gave a small smile. Ah, the blockhead was apologizing! She was pleased she had taken her grandmother's words and waited for him to come round on his own. She must remember to thank Sumire for her insightful advice.

_Let him work for it so he would treasure her more._

Sakuno smiled at the idea. It was starting to appeal to her very, very much.

"Sakuno ……" Ryoma was getting worried. He had messed up his lines, said more than the "I am sorry" he had planned on. He could only hope that the other extras that ran off his tongue would not hit a sore spot with Sakuno. And she hadn't said anything in response yet; he felt the ground opening beneath him ……

"_Mou ii. Wakatta wa yo_." She finally spoke, in the soft and melodious voice he didn't realize he missed so much.

"_Hontou?_" Ryoma ducked his head to look into her face, and suddenly the world seemed right again.

She gave him that sweet smile, the same one he remembered from long ago. And Ryoma felt a burden lift from his shoulders, and from his heart.

Sakuno felt nothing but relief that it was all over. Not the exodus of the spirits, but the animosity between herself and Ryoma.

They still had a long way to go, together. She knew. She saw when she was trapped in her last Premonition dream over two years ago.After she foundher wayin the darkness, she haddiscovered him in the golden light that was her future.

* * *

A/N: Abrupt. Yes, I know. But this may or may not be the end of it all… I wanted them to do some kissing etc _or more_, but that is like so far into the future … Does it offend anyone's sensibilities if they, you know …. Do _that_ thing in the last scene? Fifteen year olds … hmmm. And no protection, at that. -evil smirk- 

Then I wanted to have Mayu or some other witch drop in and create havoc, but that's like so far down the story line. Btw, this idea was from e reviews, thanks to Anime AngeL -waves madly-

So there you have it, an ending that may not be _The_ ending …. Lemme know if you guys want more, but I have to say that I need a little break after this long fic, did I mention that I started out wanting to do a short and sweet thing? Sigh.

Need to thank the following pple, for they stuck with me throughout … in no particular order:

Magy, atori, cyjj, umi, kurai-kodoku, Kawaii Koneko92, :) **smiley face**, grace, Anime AngeL.

Doomo arigatou gozaimashita! Without you guys, this fic wouldn't be (sort of) finished -bows deeply-


End file.
